THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1870.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 763, 8 December 1870, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1870.

The question of the consolidation of the Gold Fields of the Colony, and placing the chief responsibility of their administration in the hands of the General Government is perhaps the most important that Gold Fields' constituencies could consider in view of the coming elections. It is one in which their interests are so immediately concerned that their opinions should be given with no uncertain sound. The question as it stands bufoi'e them amounts to this — is the present system of provincial administration satisfactory ? If not. then what is the best remedy. There are two alternative measures that present themselves— first, the handing the maiiagement of the Gold Fields entirely over to the General Government without reservations in favor of any local authority and control ; and second a system of administration that would, whilst leaving the chief executive functions in the hands of the Government, give the inhabitants some share in the conduct of their own affairs, and the expenditure of their revenues. The first proposition may be dismissed as being impracticable and opposed to all ideas of constitutional practice. Even if possible it could not last a month, for however firmly or wisely such an arbitrary form of administration was carried out, the population of the Gold Fields would complain if for no other reason than that it was an arbitrary one. It is absolutely essential that any system of Gold Fields' management must \ttfgj «V>)n iUo.r« p Ut{nn Hi a nip.ans of dealr. respecting which they are well able to jddge. We would wish to see some such programme as the following carried out, more especially with regard to the whole West Coast Gold Fields :— The Gold Fields of the Colony to be entirely withdrawn from the control of the Provincial Governments,, and the administration of Justice, Police, Survey, and the Gold Fields Acts generally placed in the hands .of the General Government, represented by a Responsible Minister. The consolidation of the whole of the Gold Fields and the Gold Fields' staff, and the abolition of separate miner's rights for each Province. For purposes of administration the various Gold Fields to be divided into districts, so arranged that as far as possible each district shall be compact and identical in its interests; that arrangements be provided for ascertaining the actual revenue from all sources of each district ; that the Government shall deduct from such revenue only such Bums as may be required to defray the cost of the various branches of administration, and shall set apart a fixed proportion as a general reserve fund, to be applied in the shape of rewards' for 'new discoveries and other means of encouragement ; that the balance of revenue shall then be at the disposal of local Boards of Works in the various centres of population for public works generally ; main arterial works to be decided upon and constr noted by a Central Board, to be coaiposed of the members elected by the Local Boards and Mnnicipalites, and the Warden or Wardens of the district. For instance, let us take the West Coast Gold Fields as an example of how such a system could ba applied. To commence with, the towns of sufficient population should be incorporated either separately or jointly. We would then divide the Gold Fields into the following principal districta. The Buller District, including the watershed of that river ; the Charleston district, which would include the whole of ■the -coast and terrace diggings down to Razorback ; the Upper Grey District, which' should comprise the whole of the country beyond the junction of the Arnold ; tho Lower Gray District, which should -ti'Mu in the country south to the Terernakau, excluding the town of Grey- . month ; the Waimea District, Hokitika, Ross and Okarito districts could similarly be constituted. Each of these districts to be made complete in itself, and have a Warden and Gold Receiver ; each district to have a board of say nine members elected by the population, which board ■would take the management of all roads, tracks, bridges, and ferries, and its revenue to. be any surplus that may remain after the cost of administration had been defrayed. F<>r the purpose' of deciding upon and* carrying out main arterial works there •should.be a Central -Board, composed of representatives of each District Board and Municipality, and the Warden. :■ The Gold Fields Act would require simplifying and condensing. Many minor powers which are reserved to the Governor should be vested in the Wardens, whilst the more important ones slibuld be ; exemsed only under the instructions of, or by the Responsible Minister. We strongly believe that some such system of Gold Fields Administration as we have roughly sketched could easily, be elaborated, so as to work well and satisfactorily. At any rate it is a subject well worth consideration and reflection by ths population of the West Coast Gold Fields, and one upon which candidates should be closely examined by

the various constituencies. That some i change is necessary is univerpally ad- 1 mitted, and the question is one that will ] have to be dealt with at the ensuing ; session of the General Assembly. Already the Government have instituted enquiries on the subject throughout the Colony, aud in fill probability they intend to bring in some measure for dealing with it. It is therefore of the most vital importance that the Gold Fields constituencies should return members of ability and experience to represent them in Parliament, men who thoroughly understand the importance of questions of this nature when brought before them, and who will be able, when called upon in the Assembly, explicitly to state what the wishes of the people are with regard to them. The subject is one of direct importance to the people of this district) and we expect to have frequently to refer to it before the general election for the Assembly takes place.