THE Grey Riber Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1572.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1215, 20 June 1872, Page 2

THE Grey Riber Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. THURSDA Y, JUNE 20, 1572.

So much interested misrepresentation of the proposals submitted to the General Government by Mr W. H. Harrison, M.H.R. for this district, has been made, that instead of publishing the subjoined address as originally intended, we give it in our usual leading columns. The change of position gives it greater prominence, and as the matter contained is of very serious moment to the residents of the district, on the eve of a session when -organic changes of administration are likely to be made, we make no apology for doing so. We have already expressed very decided opinions on the subject matter contained, and now leave the author to explain more fully himself. Whether all details are approved < f or not, we feel fully convinced that the general' principle involved will be welcomed. Whether favorable or otherwise, it is to be hoped that the public will express itself one way or other, and that on the eve of a session that promises to so materially affect the well-being or stagnation of the Coast, the political apathy that has too frequently been its curse will be shaken off. Mr Harrison's address to his constituents and others interested is as follows : — " TO THE ELECTORS OF THE OREY VALLEY DISTRICT. •"As- the General Assembly will meet for. the despatch of business in a few weeks, and as I nm convinced it will bo necessary during the ensuing session for the Government lo deal practically with the grievances of the South- West Gold Fields, I think, it right to address you upon the subject, and give yau my 1 opinions as to what are the best steps to be taken to remedy the evils under which you suffer, and enable you to enjoy the prosperity you so well deserve. "The opportunities I have had during the past few years of watching the course And results of the Administration of the Gold Melds by the Provincial Government of Nelson, have led me to the firm conviction that you can never hope for

leneficial government from Nelson under rour present form, arid' conditions of : poitical influence. You are inadequately ■epresented in the Council ; you have no roice— or at any ra^but a very small one —in the election of Superintendent, and ;he Administrative machinery — composed )f men who have no conception of your lecessities, nor sympathy with your interest—is too far removed from the in[luence of popular opinion in your midst. Session after session brings about a repetition of a very old ruse to quiet the Gold Fields constituencies — voting money for them which is not intended to be spent. You. protest; you hold meetings; you memorialise; but, once the Provincial Government has obtained its Estimates and prorogued the Council, the Executive put wool in their ears and your cries are no more effectual than were those of the prophets of Baal. " Until you are afforded greater opportunities of managing your own affairs, and are secured a fair proportion of the taxation you contribute, you will never prosper. And surely there is no possible reason why you alone should be shuc out from the benefits of local self-government. The existence, now indubitably proved, of rich quartz-reefs which will result in giving much greater permanency to the population, affords another strong claim in your behalf for a system of Government more suited to your conditions and requirements. Cl The difficulty is in selecting a system which, whilst uniting the whole West Coast gold fields into a strong political division of the Colony, will avoid local prejudices and jealousies, and give powers of local administration to every centre of population. The following alternatives appear to suggest themselves :— •' First.- — The formation of another County, like Westland North, of the Grey, to tho termination of the Buller electoral district. This I could not support : it would still cause a division of the West Coast Gold Fields, and woould perpetuate the double government of the Grey Valley, and double mining taxation. Nor from my experience of the County Council of Weutlaud, could I again recommend a similar form of administration. " Second.— The extension of the County of Westland by the inclusion of the South- West Gold Fields — a proposition which, so far as I am aware., is one entirely in the interest of Hokitika alone ; and which 1 do not apprehend would be acceptable to you for this and other reasons. The constitution of the County Council would require to be very materially altered and amended to make it suitable for a large and populous territory as the West Coast Gold Fields, when united, will be. . " Third. — The formation of the whole opastinto a province, with such provisions as would prevent undue centralization, provide fully for local application of local revenues, and at the same time, with an overshadowing authority over general concerns, possessing limited powers of legislating upon certain special and specified subjects : — lt has appeared to me, after very careful consideration, that this is the true solution ; and I have not hesitated to recommend it to the General Government, in reply to a request that I would give them my views upon the sub? jeet. The following is a copy of a momo» randum I forwarded to the Colonial Secretary a. few days ago, which generally sets forth the plan I propose .— 11 'Memorandum for theUnder-Secretaryfor the Gold Fields upon tho memorial of miners and others resident in the Reefton District. " • The memorial complains that the action taken by the Provincial Government of Nelson with regard to the granting of and refusal of mining leases, is utterly opposed to the interests of this very important idistrict. and that if persisted in, will be the means of driving capital from the place and preventing the development of the reefs, which can only be profitably worked on a large scale, requiring heavy outlay on machinery and labor. • "•The Provincial Government appears to have attempted to explain this course by a reference to a petition sent some considerable period Sgo to the Superintendent praying that no leases should be granted whatever, but that the reefing ground should be thrown open for occupation in the usnal way under miner's rights. 11 ' 1 need hardly remark that the petition was not acceded to ; that leases have been granted, and that, therefore, itisabsuidnow to refer to the petition as any authority for the extraordinary course the Provincial Government has since pursued. Nor is it necessary for me to inform the Undersecretary that quartz reefs cannot be .developed without large capital being employed, and that this capital will not' be forthcoming except a binding tenure in the shape of a lease was held, and liberal areas of ground offered. In several instances the Superintendent of Nelson has refused or curtailed the leases previously recommended by the Warden, who, under the regulations, is, to judge of the bona fides of the applications and report accordingly, and the alleged reason is that the Government was desirous of preventing purely speculative leasings. The motive is no doubt a proper one, but the Executive at Nelson have no right to contra* vene the recommendation of the Warden, who must in all cases be the best judge of the facts. - '• ' Without saying anything more on this part of the subject— further than recording my opinion that the course taken by the Provincial Government is most injudicious — I will proceed to state my views upon the larger question involved in the allegations of the memorialists and the prayer (of their memorial. " ' I am convinced that the only remedy for the chronic discontent prevailing on the South- West Gold Fields is to detach them from the Province of kelson, and unite the whole of the West Coast Gold Fields into a distinct and separate Province, with proprr provision for local administration in the various centres of population, the whole to be presided over by a nominated officer holding the delegated powers. I need not in this memorandum enter upon any'argument upon the subject of local government, and will content myself with stating the outlines of a plan which I believe would be well adapted to the circumstances of this part of the Colony, and would prevent any of those jealousies which have attended former proposals. " • 1 propose to make the Road Boards the units of the system, uniting them in convenient groups into County Councils, with fixed local revenues, and combining their general interests in a Provincial Council of a limited number of members meeting once a year, and having power of minor legislation in tho form of bye -laws j the General Government retaining the control of all Gold Fiolds Officers and Courts. "'I should propose that three Counties be formed— Hokitika, Grey, and Buller, each including the district with which they have, as it wore, a community of interests, and each consisting of four JRoad Board Di trick i tr Municipalities. Tho County Councils to

■■■'■. ■ ' consist of seven members, i.e., the Chairmen of the Road Board and Mayors of Municipalities, and thrfie other members to be elected by the general body of ratepayers. The rcveuueg of the .County Councils to consist of all local taxation, such as publicans' licenses, "dog tax, hospital rates, &c, and such proportion of the gold fields and territorial revenue (not less than 25 per cent. ), as the Provincial Council may determine for each County respectively. " 'The Provincial Council to consist of fifteen elected members, viz., one for each Road District, and two for each County town. Its revenues to consist of ordinary Provincial revenue, less the 25 cent, of land fund, &c, and local taxes to be handed to County Councils. Provincial Councils to have power to pass bye-laws upon certain prescribed subjects. 111 The following will show the plan :— ■ Road Boards or Municipalities. Counties. Tbtara ' V • Hokitikd (County Town) ( Hokitika. Kanien ( Arahura ) Paroa \ Greymouth (County Town) f ,-.,,, Ahaura ( wev \ Some other Board to be formed) Inangahua \ Westport (County Town) f -r,,ii ' Charleston ( BuUer ' Brighton - / " 'A favorable opportunity for carrying into effect any change of the system of Government on the West Coast is afforded by the fact that the County Council of West- : land expires by.effiuxion of time December next. " c Road Boards are already in operation in Westlaud, but they would have to be instituted on the South- West Gold Fields. "'The boundaries of the proposed Province should be so arranged as to include the electoral districts of Buller, Grey Valley, Hokitika, and Totara. •"The Provincial Council should, immediately after its election, choose the capital of the Province. " ' Should theUnder-Secretary require any further explanation, I shall be glad to afford it him. '"W. H. Harrison. "'June 7, 1872.'" "Any unprejudiced person would, I think, hold the opinion that the above proposal, rough as it is, sets out a form of Administration well adapted to the circumstances of the West Coast .Gold Fields and calculated to lead to their advancement. I do not propose, nor is it intended, that the County Councils here described should beat all similar to the County Council of Westiand, sitting for eight or ten weeks twice a year, and with a highlyrpaid Chairman and staff, but simply central Road Boards, meeting for a day or two once a quarter For the purpose of dividing the County funds amongst the Boad Boards, paying hospital subsidies, and consulting upon County matters. Their Chairman might be a kind of Mayor, paid a small sum if you like, and reasonable expenses should be paid to . each member. The whole stall required would be a clerk, as in the case of a Borough Council. "You will see that I propose that at least 25 per cent, of the Gold Fields Revenue and Land Fund and all the local taxation, such as publicans and other licenses, shall be the fixed revenue of the Counties. The remaining 75 per cent, given to the Provincial Council to defray cost of Police, Gaols, Warden's Courts, survey and engineering— if any balance remain it is to go. to the Counties. The Provincial Council should meet once a year to authorise the expenditure under the above heads, pass bye-laws upon such domestic subjects as may be delegated to it, and take into consideration such matters as may affect the whole community of the Province. "My reason for proposing that : the Superintendent should be a nominated officer removable at pleasure is, that this is the only means by which the administration of the delegated powers of 'the j Governor (which would constitute 'the greater portion of his work) could ' be exeroiaad with the proper amount of directresponsibility to the General Government. At present the delegated powerfljare irresponsibly exercised by the Superintendents and the Chairman of the County of Westiand, and there is no check upon this irresponsible action except the withdrawal of those powers and the appointment' of an officer of the Government to administer them. By my plan the Colonial Ministry would exercise a direct control and direction over the Superintendent, who also might combine in his office that of Obmmissioner of Crown Lands. "My object in writing this address is to elicit from you your views upon the subjects referred to, in order that J niayiadr just my conduct to the balance of opinion, should that favor the principle I hjave laid down. I. conclude by uttering this warning that unless the West Coast constituencies can generally agree upon; the basis of a scheme it will be hopeless to expect any change for the better. . "Assuring you that your interests at all times engage my attention and care, and trusting that some unanimously! approved scheme for the better administration of the West Coast Gold Fields generally may bo submitted to Parliament. " I am, gentlemen, " Yours very faithfully, " W. H. JBUrrisoit. "Wellington, June 10, 3 872. "P.S.— I would add that. the plan I propose is, with the exception of a nominated Superintendent, almost identical with that embodied in an Ordinance recently passed by the Provincial Council of Otago for the formation of Shire Councils."