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Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 704, 23 July 1870, Page 2

The members of the County Council now in Hokitika still continue the farce of sitting as a deliberative body and voting away thousands, when they know well that there is not the remotest probability of any of the sums' so voted being expended, simply because it is not to be found in the County Treasury, and there is not even the most distant hope that it will be there during tho next twelve months, indeed, if ever, for with the passing of the General Government's financial scheme, the last hope for the existence of Westland as a County passes away. But apart from this latter contingency, the County Estimates for the current 3ix months, as l»id on the table by the Chairman a few nights ago, show the expenditure to be close on a thousand pounds over the revenue, even although that is greatly over-estimated ; and, in the face of this the Council on Thursday night, on the motion of Mr Lahman, voted ,£4OOO for the purpose of continuing the Arnold road from the Coal Pits to Grey mouth. No doubt the residents in this district ought to feel very grat jful, but they will pay no attention to it, as they know very well, not only from past experience, but also from tne bankrupt state of the County Treasury, that there is not the slightest probability of t the amount being expended. The Council might have voted £20,000 when they were about it. It is astonishing that Mr Lahman should continue' the perpetuation of such a farce as this, which looks more like an insult to his constituents <than anything else. We give him the credit of Rayiug that he is endeavoring to fulfill the promise he made at a public meeting held here some time ago, that the road to the Coal Pits would be made before the year was out, in consequence of the support he gave his colleagues to get the Araluiraroad made on deferred payments during, last session. Well, they have rolled the log along so far, but it will end in the'Arah.ura road being constructed at the. cost of the County, and the Coal Pits road being made— on paper. The other members of the Council are taking up the farce, and on Monday Mi 1 Clarke is to move — " That the Chairman be requested to place on Supplementary Estimates the sum of £3000 for the purposo of constructing a dray road from th*» Arahura to Stafford Town." Mr Carreras is to move — " That the Chairman be requested to place the sum of £2000 on the Supplementary Estimates for the purpose of making a 4ft metal track from Maori Gully, Arnold, to Clifton, New River." He is also to move —"That the Chairman be requested to place the sum of £1500 on the Estimates for the purpose of making a 4ft metal track from Greenstone to Nemona," and the Chairman is to move—" That £300 be placed on the Supplementary Estimates for a bridge over Donnelly's Creek." A greater farce in representative institutions was never played than that now being performed at Hokitika, and it is to be hoped that ere the present session termiuates some member of the Council will, with commendable public spirit, move that several thousand pounds be set aside annually for pensions to the present Chairman and members, as a small recognition of the able manner in which, by their folly and misgovernment, they have brought the County of Westland into contempt with the public of New Zealand.