DISCUSSION IN THE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1242, 23 July 1872, Page 3

DISCUSSION IN THE COUNTY COUNCIL.

In the County Council on Friday even ing, The Chairman moved— "That the Council go into Committee to consider . what steps should be taken to effect the 'necessary change in the administration of the County of Westland." He said that : |n his address at the opening of the Council he had referred to the necessity of aOhange in the present administration of affairs in the County. That necessity , /had been urged by public meetings, and by the press, with the exception of one , paper, ; He had intended to follow up the reference in his address to this matter by independent (definite ?) resolutions, but when he found that whatever he proposed was met with hostility, he thought the better course wou.ld be to move the ,t ■ -r ■ ...

(For cmtthmation of Aeu>3 see 4th Page.

■■■ ■■- - '■ ■ j i Qouncil into Committee to consider the matter. i Mr Hoos said that the motion, as it stood on the notice paper, amounted tj> nothing at all. He could not but regret that the Chairman deemed himself inconv potent for the position which by accident he filled. It was his duty to lead the Council, and to initiate the discussion on a .question of the nature then brought before it, by some definite proposals. This the Chairman had failed to do, and he (Mr Hoos) should therefore oppose the motion to go into Committee.' ' Mr Babtv regretted that the motion had been placed on the paper in its present form, as it offered nothing upon which a discussion could be founded. The Chairman had stated that the. .majority of the people had given an expression of opinion against the present form of County Government, but so far as he (Mr Barff) knew that feeling was confined to a portion of the Chairman's own constituents. That was what the Chairman called an expression of public opinion. Bat he (Mr Barff) would venture to remark that those who now agitated on the question had for some time been agitating in different directions. Some time ago it was for annexation to Nelson, and now it ras for depriving Nelson of a portion of its territory. All this agitation was brought about at the instance of the member of that district in the Assembly, and as he changed so those whom he represented changed. He (Mr Barff) had had lately several opportunities of ascertaining~the wishes of his constituents, and he had not -discovered, that they had desired any such change as was so warmly advocated by the Chairman. He should oppose the motion Jp go into Committee until, the Chairman gave indication in plain 'terms of the views he intended to propose for consideration. Mr Robinson felt compelled to oppose the motion to go into Committee upon the indefinite resolution set down on the Order paper, He considered that it the motion were carried it would be quoted in Wellirgton as proving that even, the members of the representative body of the County were dissatisfied with the system of Government, and he would not lend himself to assisting in such a condemnation. Before «uoh a step were taken there would be an expression of public opinion on the sujyect, and no such opinion had yet been obtained. Tf appeared to him that the Chairman had become Fox-cum-Vogelised and to was unable to see anything beyond -, the sphere of that, influence. Cleverer ■ men than the Chairman bad been so influenced, as witness Mr Duffy, who, it was said, had been out-Vogelled. That there, was dissatisfaction in a portion of County, he (Mr Robinson) did not doubt but that dissatisfaction had nothing -to do with the administration of the Government of the County as a system, but was entirely, due to the unsatisfactory nature of the boundary line between the County and the Province of Xfelsor. The County system had never received fair pl»y.J The County had, been unjustly treated by the General Government throughout, but the system wa's the best that could.be created for an inexpensive and efficient local administration of affairs, if properly carried out. He should oppo3e the motion to go into Committee, but in doing so he desired to deny any personal hostility to the Chairman. . . f.< Mr Bonar could not bnt agree that the motion of the Chairman was too indefinite in its present form. It was essential that at least there should be some outline indicating the matter the Council were to be asked to consider. He would suggest that the motion be withdrawn; and that a series of resolutions be tabled by the Cba"rmn/gfaing" some general idea of the pruratplecl lie desired Jo get the Council to assent to. As the motion stood on the paper, he (Mr B6nar) could not vote tar it, and h* felt bound, at the same time, to take exception to the expression of great dissdttlfaction* stated by the {Chairman to.befmade as to the form of Government r In the County, or to its administration of affair*. .' It was only necessary to cross, the' Grey River to see the difference between County and Provincial Government. He had lately had occasion to visit the gol&fieldajn the Nelson. Province, and he had been much surprised at the neglect shown by that Government, though deriving a large revenue therefrom. The County had never had a fair chance given to it. If it were only allowed to go on, without the hampering it was continually getting, h« was sure it would yet be prosperous. Much rested iv the; people themselves. If they would but attend to their . public duties and select fit men to represent them in the Council, there would be no grounds for complaint. But unfortunately the people neglected their duty in this respect, and they had to bear the conseqawjeea., He had no hesitation in -saying that the present form of Government;wAs the best the County could get, -pot if any suggestion were .made "for a beneficial change, he should have no obf . jection whatever to give to it a fair consideration, but he should like to have . some indication of the nature of the proposed change before entering upon its Consideration. " ■■■■■:■_■ : -" '••>•

' " Mr Fox would like to point out a point which had been overlooked, and that was the desire of the 'Nelson South- West Gold ' Fields to obtain a change of government. Mr Button quite agreed that the County system of Government has not had a fair trial; It had been conceived by Me John Hall, at a time when the ' Stafford Ministry was weak ; hY had been born during the political decline of that Government, ana it had scarcely got life before its nurse was dead. Still it had

given some, vigorous kicks, and had shown that it possessed a strong vitality." He (Mr Button) had travelled "a few" in thn South- West Gold Fields, and at each " few" of travelling he had wished that it had been confined within-the boundaries of the County. The oantrast was indeed «reat. The member for Greymouth (Mr Fftx) had referred to the desire of the 'Nelson South- West Gold Fields for a change of Government, but while be (Mr Button) admitted the desirability of a oKange being effected, he considered that it was for those districts to come to the County and ask to be incorporated with it, and not for the County to make advances.; The County wajs.nqt, injured, , and had no around to ask,fpr, the change, ..though willing enough (6 receive over;ure«»;*om'Xhosogold.:, * O n the Coast v/ho deshuJ to oe 1.. pura ted with it. He believed that at one time there was an impression amongst some few of the Chairman's constituents that they could do without the rest of the County by joining themselves to a slice from the Nelaon Province, but that impression was dying out, and it was now felt that the

interests of the whole of the West Coast were identical; and, that petty* local feelings could never ser?e any good purpose. He should vote againßt the motion. The Chairman said that he had intended, if the Council had gone into Committee, to have submitted an independent (definite) motion >to . the eifect that the whole of the West Coast Goldfielda should be united under one. Government. , He had reliable information that already a bill was being framed to constitute those goldfields into one Province, and he thought that the Council should losano tinae in expressing its opinion that the County system was the best form of Government, and the .best mode of serving the purpose ; intended was by the extension of the County so as to include the waqlo of the goldfields on the West Coast. He|had said, in opening the question, that the Press had expressed dissatisfaction with the present administration of Government. That expression of opinion had been given south < of Hokitika in the Boss papers, and to the north in the Greymouth papers. The Hokitika papers did not, advocate a change. He, himself, held the opinion that the County form of Government was preferable to the Provincial, but the very name of "County " was objectionable to a large section in the i Assembly, and there was a better chance of obtaining a. union of thegold6elds on the West Coast, under the denomination of a Province. Still, in any such arrangement, he should advocate as near an approach 'to the present system ol County Government as possible. He would willingly withdraw his motion, and would table a resolution defining the propositions he would ask the Council to agree to. , ; : . ■' ■:.■•'. The motion was then by leave withI drawn.