THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 1871.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 816, 9 March 1871, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 1871.

The first session of the third Council of the County of Westland cannot be said to have accomplished work proportionate in value to the length to which the members dragged their sittings. The Council was in session for more than half the time which the General Assembly occupies annually in disposing of the affairs of the whole Colony ; and as we may expect this arrangement will characterize each halfyear, it follows that it takes from three to four months out of the twelve for the County Council to transact its business. Perhaps if the results of their deliberations have any equivalent to the time devoted to them, the public would have no cause to be dissatisfied ; but, unfortunately, an inverse ratio seems to have been established. When the first Council assembled, under the Hon. John Hall, and had the whole work of initiating the new machinery for administering the affairs of the County, it accomplished its task in three weeks. During that time, it disposed of quite as many details as any succeeding Council, and in quite as satisfactory a manner. Now, it appears that the business cannot be got through much under two months. When we come to examine the real work accomplished, we find it to be comparatively little : and the worst feature of the case is, that the bulk of the time has been frittered away in trivial motions and discussions that have come to nothing. The session just concluded is a striking example in point. The actual business of any practical character is comprised within narrow limits — settling the expenditure ; recommending proposed schemes of water supply for the Gold Fields ; and selecting the localities for the special settlements under the Waste Lands Act. The rest is all " padding," having had no other result than swelling the duration of the session. Of course, the three principal matters we have indicated are each important. The disposal of the revenue is the chief function of the Council, and the consideration of the finances should always demand the prime attention of that body. But, beyond a most abortive attempt at retrenchment, in which the Council was guilty of the most glaring inconsistencies, the important question of way and means received no thorough business-like discussion. The Chairman brought down estimates of revenue which were accepted by the Council without question, although for several previous sessions the income or the County had been greatly overestimated. There was no attempt made to verify the calculations — all that was done was to nibble away at the proposed expenditure, and call it "Economy." Blow they economised is well known. Instead of adopting some comprehensive principle, consolidating offices and cutting off altogether those that might be considered superfluous, thpse financiers began by making small but vexatious reductions in the salaries of the most important service in the County — the police. A 1 little deduction from this officer, ten j pounds from, that, and so on, without any fixed rule or standard, the result being that the whole of the reductions amount to such a small total as to have no perceptible effect on the financial condition of the County. And how beautifully inconsistent they were ! Take the matter of Wardens for instance. We are certain that the County could well do with one Warden less than it has, by throwing some of the Gold Fields work on the Hokitika Resident Magistrate, and dispensing with a Warden at Okarito, but the Council decide to knock off £50 per annum from the salaries of all the Wardens except the officer at Okarito, at the same time one prominently economical member actually proposed to appoint another Warden at Kanieri ! And to mend matters we are credibly informed that it has been decided to allow Mr Warden Schaw twelve months' leave of absence on full pay ! And we suppose this is what the members call economy. The County Chairman's voluntary sacrifice is the only real bit of retrenchment in the whole programme. The water supply and special settlement questions were not taken up until close at the end of the session. The former had been almost decided for them, and they only had to pass a formal resolution. The latter was more intelligently dealt with than any other question during the session. Several useful public works have been initiated, although they will not probably get beyond the initiatory stage for some time. All this business could have been done as well disposed of in a fortnight as in two months. With regard to the performances of the new members we can say little. This part of the County has certainly not gained additional influence by the acquisition of Messrs Guinness and O'Connor. The former gentleman has disappointed his constituents. Whether it is that they expected too much, it is a fact that Mr Guinness has not fulfilled their expectations. He has not taken such a leading position in the Council as a member for Greymouth should, nor has he betrayed any remarkable aptitude for public business. The kindest manner in which to speak of Mr O'Connor is simply to advise him to make the discovery that urgent private affairs will preclude Ms devoting so much of his time to the business of the public. 'Like many other men, he has mistaken his vocation in entering the troubled waters of politics, and his constituents should not too urgently demand any further self-sacrifice at bis hands. It has certainly not been by Mr O'Connor's means that the session has been so prolonged.