THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 1872.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1154, 10 April 1872, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 1872.

During the next few days the electors in the Grey Valley will be, called upon! to return another member to the Nelson Provincial Council, in room of Mr Wilkie, retired. The frequent resignations, of members elected for this district are noteworthy, and suggestive that there must either be something very inconvenient or very disagreeable in holding the office. We are inclined to believe that the latter, is the most probable hypothesis. However much the inconvenience, there is no man so good-natured as to believe that it is his mission year after year to fight with a shadow ; and, however good the cause he feels called upon to champion, it is only a vain enthusiast who can persist fighting with the wind. This is the precise position of several of the members who have recently represented the Grey District in the Provincial Council of Nelson, for, so far as effecting any good to the district for which they were elected, they might as well have addressed the Council assembled in Nelson from some convenient range in the Grey Valley. It is not, therefore; to be wondered at, that the elected of the people have been so quick to ,hand over the honor conferred upon them, sometimes not even " with thanks ;" and it can easily be imagined why, in the full knowledge of this existing state of things, the office of representative of the Grey District in the Nelson Provincial Council should go a-begging. Much may probably be attributable to the men who have hitherto represented the district, because they have not been distinguished by their intelligence, ability, or general knowledge of the duties they were called upon to fulfil. Indeed, in this respect, the Grey District has attained an unenviable notoriety, by sending to the Council Chambers men who were neither a credit nor a positive disgrace, but a something between— men who could not fight the battle of these Gold Fields as it ought to have been fought, because they were either incompetent or wilfully neglectful «*f the wants of their constituents, and who were selected more for theiruiudacity in coming forward than for any ability they possessed to faithfully represent the District in the Provincial Council. We fear that in the coming election history may once more repeat itself, and that one, if not two adventurers, whose oily tongues and nicelyrounded sentences are constructed to deceivo "the mob," may appear upon the scene, and one of them be returned by men who have no care for to-morrow, and only indulge in the pleasure of perpetrating a joke to-day. We trust that such will not bo the case ; that the community in the Grey District will look to the responsibilities of their position, which, at the present time, is a most serious one, and that they will return some person of ability and discretion, with a well-defined and openly-explained knowledge of the wants of the District he represents,' so that the residents may feel assured that they have placed their confidence in one who is able to see justice done to the District. Recently : Mr Kynnersley was returned as one of the members for this District, and from his intimate acquaintance with its every detail, .there is no doubt that he will make an excellent member. Previous to bis election we felt inclined to advocate the leaving of the representation. of the District a blank, because of the futility of the efforts of young representatives to effect any good ; but now, seeing that he has been elected, that he enjoys the confidence of the majority of the residents in the District, and has had an intimate acquaintance with the wants of the people since the place was first rushed, circumstances are changed, and it now becomes the duty of the electors to return the best man theycan find ; at least it is to be hoped they will return one in whom they have entire confidence — one who will co-operate for the benefit of the Distric 1 ., and strain every nerve to pres3 upon the Provincial Council the fact that this district contains resources which, if properly adapted, will make the Province one of the most flourishing in the Colony. There is another, point to which we wish to refer, as it is intimately associated with the coming election. The question

haa arisen, upon what roll will the election be taken? If upon the roll for Westland North, not over twenty residents in the district .have a right to vote except as holders of miners' rights and business licenses for six months ; and if upon the recently constructed roll for the Grey Valley, then evei/ registered in Greymouth, and as far south as the Te'remakau, can vote for the return of a member to the Nelson Provincial Council. It ia -rather a difficult question,- and one upon which the opinion of the AttorneyGeneral has, or ought, on an early day, to be sought, and one the decision upon which ought not to be kept in the hands of a Returning-Officer, however able that gentleman; may otherwise be in the discharge of official duties. The names of the gentlemen who are mentioned as probable candidates are Mr Arthur Ellis, of Nelson Creek ; Mr J. W. Jones, of No Town ; Mr Guinness, of Ahaura ; and Mr Taylor, of Cobden. No doubt several of the class of individuals whom we indicated at the commencement of this article ) will come forward, but we must express a strong hope that for once the residents will " put their shoulders to the wheel" and return a man who is intellectually able to work with his colleagues for the general benefit of the West Coast, and at the same time to be an honor to the special district he is chosen to represent.