THE Grey River Argus. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1871.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 788, 4 February 1871, Page 3

THE Grey River Argus. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1871.

The County Council does not appear to be doing much business. Sitting after sitting is wasted in little else thau mere talk, and when any important question really does come on, it is disposed of apparently without any discussion, or if there is any discussion at all it is of the most superficial character. And to mend matters, the press of Hokitika, which, during the sessions of the Council has a perfectly legitimate opportunity for influencing and guiding that body seems disposed to deal with public questions in the same Blip-shod careless manner without taking the trouble to ascertain their real merits. A strong example of this is I to be found in the manner in which the capitation scheme is regarded by the Council and by the would-be leaders of public opinion in Hokitika. The Council has passed, or is to pass, a resolution protesting against the injustice of the .capitation scheme as applied to Westland, and the local journals indulge in a good deal of wasted indignation upon the same subject, without seemingly having the least idea of how any remedy, if any, is to be applied. It is lamentable

to see such ignovancu displayed ii* quarters whereone might reasonably expect a thorough acquaintance with public questions; The substitution of the Capitation Allowance in lien of a varying and uncertain share in the revenue is one of the wisest financial steps that coiild have been taken. • It is no new principle, nor was Mr Yogel any more directly concerned in bringing it into effect .than the rest of the Parliament of New Zealand, excepting in the fact that he was the channel xhrough .which it had to be carried. For years the absurdity of the old plan of dividing the revenue has been recognised by the leading public men of the Colony, and three years ago the Assembly carried a resolution in favor of terminatiti,' it. The Capitation Allowance was a very needful reform ; but, like most other reforms, if h>is necessarily operated somewhat prejndicial'y in p r icular cases at the commencement of its application. Westland . is undoubtedly a heavy sufferer at present by the change ; but it. is by no mean.* certain that she will continue to bo a loser Taking the Provinces as a whole, they gain considerably, the Captation Allowance amnuntingtoabont,£so.ooomore than these Provinces' share <»f the C.m*.»li«-laterl revenue under the old system. Westland from the greater consuming power of its populati >n .contributed proportionately much more to the revenue than other Provinces, but it is a fact that the change that has taken place in the habits of the population, the spread of real settlement and the more steady but less remunerative condition of the mining industry have operated in a considerable and continuous declme in the Customs receipts, chiefly in the items of spirits and other luxuries. Probably this process will continue until a fair average, as compared with the rest of the Colony, is realised. - Meantime the population is steadily and rapidly increasing in a natural manner, and in a few years it may happen that the capitation allowance will be in exces3 of the old scale of division. The great advantage of the new system is that .there is the element of certainty about it which was wanting in the previous plan. Before, it was impossible to estimate with any degree of accuracy the amount that might come from the General Government. A sndden rush of population to some outside Gold Field would immediately cause a falling off in the Customs revenue and a proportionate falling off in the share of the County. Now, the Council can calculate almost to a shilling the amount it has to receive, and can guide its conduct acccordingly. We cannot see what good can be gained by agitating npon the question now. The Colony has decided upon the capitation scheme, and it is not at all probable that any fresh change will be made, simply because Westland happens to suffer specially at present. The Government did make very large concissions to Westland in the matter, and cannot do much more. There is one great and political remedy for Westland, and that is the formation of the whole Middle Island into one Province with one general liability and one general revenue. It is the heavy legacy which Provincialism has burthened Westland that is pressing it down. I