THE Grey Riber Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1872.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1206, 10 June 1872, Page 2

THE Grey Riber Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1872.

In our last we presented our readers with an outline of the propositions submitted by Mr W. H. Harrison to the General Government at their special request, having for their object the better governmept of the whole of the Gold Fields on the West Coast. Those propositions, as m'ght be expected, were but a sketch of what might easily be done to overcome the difficulties of the present situation, and, as we stated, were open to any modifications that mi<*ht be suggested before being embodied in resolutions to be submitted to the General Assembly. Such being the case we expect that they would recpive fair and impartial discussion at the hands of our contempoiaries on the West Coast, but it appears that we were mistaken. The moment these resolutions were sent to the West Coast Times, they, and the author of them were literally "jumped upon," for no apparent reason than that of personal spite. Any opposition to Mr Harrison's suggestions as to a reconstruction of the government of the West Coast on the part of that journal is not more than might be anticipated, but we were hardly prepared, even from such an interested source, to find the real principle at issue shelved, and what is neither more nor less than a personal attack on Mr Harrison substituted, instead of argument, against his propositions. For a long time past the journal in question has ceased to be the exponent of popular opinion in the district in which it is circulated, and has been subverted to personal debts, but we must say that on Saturday, our contemporary showed his hand a little too soon, and without due consideration. As we have before said, he substituted an attack on Mr Harrison for argument on the propositions made, and anything much more uncalled for has not been published even in his eccentric columns. In order, however, to give our readers a conception of the style adopted, we will re-print a portion of the article in question. After speaking about "a bran new scheme, ' he says, referring to the proposals :— "In this periodical re-appearance project in hand, Mr Harrison reminds us of the circling seasons, the annual dog-tax, the weekly' bills, or whatever else is inevitable and unwelcome in its recurrence. And he reminds us more forcibly still of the itinerant quack who was wont to frequent the annual fairs of old England with his stock of jokes, stones, and nostrums for an unvarying set of nostrums for unvarying set of diseases, but who, while making a precarious livelihood from the credulity of the few, never secured the belief of the masses, nor obtained a higher reputation with the discerning than that of being an amusing and versatile mountebank. In tnts case, 'ohe few who are the victims of credulity— if the statement of our correspondent be correct— comprise the Government of New Zealand, who are said to have sought the advice of our Westland empiric with regard to the proper mode of treating the ailments of the West Coast Gold Fields." It is undoubtedly true that for years past Mr Harrison has labored iudefatigably to rid this district of an administration on both sides of the Grey that has been oppressive and unjust. That he has failed has been by political accident, but it is hardly likely that he, or rather the Ministry, for the matter is in their hand, now, will be equally unfortunate. As to the Government being (t victims of credulity," a mow unhappy phrase could not have been used. The Premier of New Zealand has seen with Mb own eyes, and is marly as capable as the proprietor of the West Coast Times of judging as to what the requirements of the coast are. MrHarrison, as we remarked recently,is so intimately associated as a public man with the coast that it was only reasonable for an appeal to him, as he is at present residing in Wellington. Had Mr White or Mr Tribe been there, no doubt their advice would have been equally sought. As to the sneer at the latter gentleman, contained in the article, it is too contemptibly mean to discuss, and is truly worthy of its origin. Not content with an utter absence of reasoning, the journal in question displays the most lamentable ignorance in connection with the propositions submitted that could well be. It says : — "Seriously, we must protest against this plan of Mr Harrison's, upon this ground — if upon no other— that having already Municipal, Road Board, and County Institutions, pervaded by a strong dose of General Government interference, we have no v. Ish to go to the expense of Provincial institutions iv addition." Whether tlio ignorance is assumed or real we know not, but if the latter, we cannot congratulate our Hokitika neighbors on the wisdom of its journalists. Can the writer be so obtuse as to suppose that the " County institutions" existent would remain under the altered circumstances? The County Council would simply be committed to the limbo of unsuitable and useless things. Our contemporary pursues the subject, and though, for somo. reason or other, quite satisfied evidently with one Council, is horrified at the idea of there being four Councils and four Chairmen. But on this 'head perhaps we may relieve any anxiety for i the County Councils proposed would be / wholly unpaid. They should more properly be termed Shire Councils, for if we understand aright the Victorian system would be in a great measure adopted, and the only paid officers be the Secretary and the Surveyor or Engineer. Thus the "simplification," suggested by the Times, would be achieved, and the present cumbrous and unsatisfactory County Council swept iitterly away. The attempted sarcasm on Mr Harrison being appointed Superintendent we, on his behalf, can afford to treat with the utter contempt it deserves. After this the Times broaches a proposition which, for modesty is unequalled, and which, if the Minislry proposed would certainly lead to some serious

disturbance on the cnost. This is the way in wlrch it is couched : — " Tl c boundaries of the County -right we 1 ! be expended to include the Grey Valley, Irpngahua, and the Bu^er, axid with mutual advantage. A)\ thab the County, r« at presort constituted, should Leek to ga : n would be the shading of the working expenses of an es';abli?\ed staff, and the d?'ution of the toroewhat too concentrated wisdom of the County Council, by the advent of soun hajf-dozen members, conceding to the newly joined districts the expenditure for their owa needs of. the revenue they contribute. We should reap sufficient benefit iv the extension of our commerce and in the diminished ratio of our governmental burden. Such a settlement of the c^fficulty, though easily effected, has, however, the disadvantage of not providing for any nom'nated Superintendent, nor for any fresh patronage to be utilised by the Government. But we are much mistaken if it would not satisfy all requirements, especially if the office of County Chairman were made open to popular election." I Without doubt, the Grey Valley— the South-West Gold Fields, as a whole, indeed, have had enough to complain of in I the Nelson Government ; they would have ten times as much were they thrown into the bosom of the paternal County of Westland. We have no doubt that such a little arrangement would "satisfy all | the requirements " of our contemporary, for reasons that need not now be set forth, but that it would satisfy the requirements of anyone else we very much question. The animus of the West Couct Times must be evident from the quotations we have^made. It is only fortunate that it neither expresses the opinions of the more intelligent portion of the Hokitika public, nor the ideas of the mining communities in its district. All that is necessary is to let the scheme, when fully developed, be thoroughly made known amongst them, and we venture to say that the good sense of an overwhelming majority will fall in with it, subject doubtless to some alterations and amendments. The principle whereby emancipation from Nelson may be obtained will find favor on the South- West 'Gold Fields, and in Westland deliverance from the County Council will be a boon indeed. It is not at all probable that such false lights as the West Coast Times or its cockboat will be allowed to have all the say. The public will be appealed to both in the towns and on the gold fields, and when the matter is conscientiously and fully explained, we have not the slightest doubt as to the issue. The subject is so vast and of such importance, that we shall frequently ,have occasion to refer to it. In the meanwhile, we trust that the Government will not for a moment assume that the utterances of the West CoastTimes afford in the least degree the reflection of popular opinion, even in its own special district ; if such an idea prevails, it is most erroneous.