COUNTY COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 966, 31 August 1871, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

Monday, August 28. water races. ' Mr Hoos moved — " That the Connctt go into Committee to consider the resolutions relative to the conditions under which Government assistance should be given in the construction of large races for the supply of water to the gold fields. "— Mr Barff seconded the resolution, which was negatived. IMMIGRATION RESERVES. The Chairman moved— " That the report of the Committee on Reserves for "set apart for the purpose. ■ Carried. Tuesday, August |0. court of appeal; , Mr. Hoos moved— "That G. G. FitzGerald, Esq., and E Patten, Esq., be requested to act as a Board for the purpose of hearing appeals from members of 1 the Civil Servibe."— Mr Barpf seconded the motion, which was carried. . . . mk harr.jsqn's resolutions. Mr Barff moved — "That in the opinion of this Council, if effect , is given to the resolutions which Mr Harrison .has. given notice: of moving in the House of Representatives, having for their object the abolition of County institutions, and the placing in the hands of the Colonial Government the management and control of the various departments, such a course 1 would be in direct opposition to the wishes | of the inhabitants of Westland, and detrimental to the best interests of the County." He considered that the resolutions of Mr Harrison tvould not only upset the institutions of the County, but were, calculated to bring about its ntter ruin. Mr Button, in seconding the motion, said that, without going very particularly into the merits of the question, it was. quite sufficient that the resolutions emanated from Mr Harrison to warrant their being regarded with suspicion. There was something in those resolutions which reminded him very much of the fable of the fox and the geese. The fox called the, geese together, and , inducing them to be-" lieve that their wings were incumbrauces, got them to submit to their being deprived of them, and ever after the geese became easy victims to the fox. So Mr Harrison would have it believed that the County institutions were incuml erances, and the rest would of course follow. He would not say that Mr Harrison was a fox, but at all events it could not be denied that he had a foxy instinct. Mr Robinson supported the motion, but submitted that the word " welfare" should be substituted for the word "wishes," in the tenth line. He considered that the County Council would bear very favorable comparison, with bodies of a similar kind, notwithstanding that some of the Council's proceedings were open to criticism, and perhaps to censure. This was inqre particularly the case in the fact that the Council had not afforded to local bodies that encouragement which should have been given to them. Mr Bonar supported the motion. Mr Hoos suggested that the words " The member for the Grey Velley pis-, trict," should' be inserted after the word " Harrison." He trusted that the mem- ! ber for Kauieri would withdraw the word ! "censure" as applicable to the Council. Whatever faults* might have been com- ; mitted, there could be no doubt that the 1 County Council had worked better than any of the Provincial Councils, and that had been admitted by Dr Knight whenhe was in Westland. With respect to the Road Boards, the position of mattera between them aud the County Council was parallel to that between the General Government and the County. He (Mr Hobs) did not believe that Mr Harrison had the slightest chance of passing his resolutions as they would be a deathblow to provincialism, which was now stronger than ever in the Assembly. Still it would be wiser to give Buobj.an^expreßsioii of opinion on the subject as would

cave no loophole for any further attempts by Mr Harrison for the ruin of the County. The Chairman said that much of the burden which the Council had to bear was due to Mr Harrison, and perhaps also to the late Chairman having reposed too much, confidence in that gentleman, in placing him as an arbitrator in respect to the division of the Canterbury debt. The whole of that ' business had been totally mismanaged by Mr Harrison, and the effect would be. felt so long as the County was" in existence. With respect to the resolutions, the cloven foot peeped out of every oue of them, Mr Bonar, with all deference to the Chair, would suggest that remarks of the kind were scarcely warrantable, in the absehca of the gentleman referred to. After some further discussion^ the, motion was carried, and it was resolve^ that it should be recorded on the minutes that the vote was unanimous, Mr Barff moved— "Thnt copies of this resolution be forwarded to the Colonial Secretary, and to both Houses ot the I Legislature." . , '■•' The motion was seconded by Mr Hoos, and passed without dissent. ,{ -. ' , THE GREYMOUTH DISTRICT SURVEYOR. Mr Button asked what had been/done by the Chairman in respect to Mr Cooper ? I The Chairman said that he had left the ! matter ontirely in the hands of the Chief Surveyor, but Mr Cooper had been reinstated. " '.'._,;••; - j'. .; .;• ", % The Council was then adjourned until the second Wednesday in January, 1872.