THE Grey River Argus, PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, MAY 12, 1871.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 871, 12 May 1871, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus, PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, MAY 12, 1871.

From what we hear it seems that the Nelson Provincial Council will not be disposed to recommend the Annexation of the Grey portion of Westland to their Province. They are still afraid of the proportion of debt that would accompany the addition of territory, but are more afraid of an increase of the political power of the Gold Fields in the Council. We shall not be suprised should these fears carry the day. If they do, the last-men-tioned reason affords the strongest argument that could possibly be advanced for the necessity of the Gold Fields of Nelson — especially those in the Grey District obtaining their proper share of political power in some other manner. No one will admit that the Gold Fields enjoy a fair proportionate share of representation in the Council. It is the inferior position in which they stand in this respect that enables the Government to act just as it thinks best without fear of consequeneds. " What matter if discontent prevail amongst the miners, we can afford to be bored by deputations and petitions, but as they have few votes in the Council it does, not matter"— that is the position of the Nelson Government with regard to the Gold Fields. The Annexation of the Southern portion of ihe Grey District would have established a balance — a much needed healthy balance -in the representation ; the Gold Fields would have their fair share of representation, and exercise their proper influence in tho management of affairs. It is therefore possible that the members of the agricultural portion of the Province have the same dread of losing their traditional power as did the " old identities" of Otago, and that for this reason they will oppose the proposed addition of territory. The debi part of the objection is frivolous in the extreme. The addition that would be cau3ed by the annexation of the SoutbGrey district would not bring up the average indebtedness of the population to what it was before the discovery of the Gold Fields. We shall learn in a day or two the result of the deliberations of the Committee, to which the Council had remitted the question, and if their report be unfavorable, we shall at least have the advantage of knowing what were the intelligible reasons. It does not matter much which way they report — the Grey boundary line is doomed, and that is all that is wanted here.