COUNTY COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1247, 29 July 1872, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

PROPOSED NEW FORM OF GO, VERNMENT. ; The County Chairman, in introducing his motion as to the "desirability of having the whole of the West Coast Goldfields brought under one form of government," said that ever since the establishment of the Qounty Government, the boundary north (being a navigable river) had been the cause of great aunoyanae to the County Government, and, moreover, of gn at inconvenience and loss to the inhabitants of the Grey District. For. some reason or other the Nelson arid County Governments could never agree to devise proper means for the development of the natural and great resources of the district, arid this want of good understanding caused not alone great inconvenience, but also pecuniary losses to the inhabitants. Therefore it could not be surprising to anyone that those who were mostly interested attempted, and at different times, to 1 have the obstacle— the unnatural boundary line — removed. That the attempts were fruitless might be attributable to the fact that the remedy. was to be fonnd in the opposite direction. Since then the inhabitants in the neighboring Province, and also the people of the County, and in particular those north of the Teremakau and south of the Totara, desired that the whole of the West Coast of the Middle Island should be formed under one Government, and, therefore, and because such a measure would be of the greatest importance and of vast benefit to the County, he was induced to bring this motion before the Council. There could be no doubt that the interest of the whole Coast was identical, and that one form of administration would be applicable to every part of a united district of Westland, and by this the administration could be simplified and the cost of the same materially reduced. At the same time, a Government comprising the whole West Coast would have more weight not only in the House of Representatives, but also with the Colonial Government, and there would bo less fear ; of being treated in such an arbitrary manner as the County had been hitherto. He also pointed out to the Council how an extension of the County would increase their expectations as to a re-adjustment of the debt with which the County had been saddled, and which had all along crippled the County Government in doing justice to the demands of its inhabitants in carrying out works of utility. In short, it would establish their political independence. The chsire to bring the whole under one Government was of the greatest importance to the miners, as offering them a larger field without increasing their expenses as to miners' rights and registration fees, #c., &c, but was also the decided demand of the majority of

the people living in W&stland. He trusted, therefore, that this Council would agree to this motion, and hoped that such might be done unanimously. Mr Robinson, on Wednesday, resumed the debate on the motion of the Chairman—"That in the opinion of thiaConncil the present County of Westland and the districts known as the Nelson South- West Gold Fields should be united under one government." He thought it would have been better if the Chairman had defined more precisely the districts (with which' it was proposed to unite the County. He also considered that a recommendation should be made to include also the Otago settlement on the West Coast, which only obtained communication with the outer world by means of the steamer subsidised by the County. He thought it was questionable whether it was expedient to agree to the resolution, considering that the Ministry would sacrifice the County without scruple should any difficulty arise which at all involved their tenure of office. It must also be borne in mind that there was great diversity of opinion in the several localities in the County as to the change that should be effected. In* the Grey district the boundary line was the difficulty which was sought to be disposed of, and the people there were for making the West Coast Gold Fields into a Province. In the southern part of the County, the newspapers at Ross, the Totara Road Board, and the member for the district in the Assembly, were for handing over to the General Government some of the administration of the affairs of the County, vesting the remainder in the Road Boards. A petition to that . effect appeared in the Ross News of the 4th inst., supported by a leading article of the style usual to that journal. It would be thus seen that there was a wide diversity of opinion. For himself he considered that there could* not be a better system of local Government than that of the County, and that but for the unjust measures of the present Ministry • the success the * system would have achieved would have rendered its superiority sufficiently manifest. He feared that the resolution taken by itself might be construed into an ambitious desire on . the part of the Council for accession of -^ territory, which was not the case, and he •'' thought that therefore that the demand for union would come with better grace from the people of the Nelson South- West Gold Fields. The only benefit the County would derive would be increase of influence in the Assembly, which might lead to obtaining some measure of justice. Mr Hoos moved as an. amendment— " That this Council adheres to its resolution passed on the 22nd August, 1871, and , begs to bring the same under the notice of the Colonial Government." . He said that the reasons for uniting the gold < fields on the West Coast were fully set forth in the resolution referred to, and they were not in the motion before the Council. He was convinced that the County system was the preferable form of Government, and should be retained. •Mr Dunqan seconded the amendment pro forma. He could speak with confidence, as a member representing a mining district, of the dissatisfaction which was general in respect to the present divided Government, and to the harrassing nature of the boundary line between' the County and the Province of Nelson. Mr Fox would support the motion, be» • cause he was convinced that the Nelson Government wasunable to administer the affairs of its gold fields on the West Coast. Mr Ralfe supported the amendment of MrHoss. . -■■ Mr Bonar was sure that the Council approached the discussion with a feeling of satisfaction at the very different position which the question now occnpied. On former occasions, when the question was being discussed, there was but little pro* apeqt of a successful result, but now there was so great an agreement in all the dis* tricts on the ooast as to the desirability of uniting the gold fields under one Government, that the accomplishment of that object was almost certain. Such a union would remove many difficulties, aod would be mutually beneficial to the County and to the Nelson South- West Gold Fields, As to]l;he .exact words of the resolution, he did not think that was a matter of much importance, except that it would be well to meet the views of all so as not to give offence. The resolution referred to in the amendment of hi 3 colleague (Mr Hoos) did contain matter which might be objected to, and therefore it might be N well not to adopt the amendment. - He (Mr Bonar) had every reason to be satisfied with the County form of Government, and he did not think that any otHer? form would be so inexpensive and^lve such full control over the administration of affairs. He considered it would not be advisable to adopt a Provincial form of government restricted as was indicated by the memorial adopted at Greymoiith. The Provinces in the Colony had not got used to the County, and it was not viewed with disfavor, but a half-and-half sort of Province would, he feared, arouse enmity. He should most gordially support the motion for a union with the Nelson South'! West Gold Fields. Mr Barff quite agreed with what had fallen from the member for Hokitika (Mr Bonar.) It was plain enough that a change was imminent, but he felt certain it would never do to adopt a form of Government which was' neither that of the County nor of the Provinces. Such a' Province would be regarded as an outcast from political society, and would arouse the jealousy and antagonism of the other Provinces. If the united districts were to be formed into a Province, the Bame privileges should be accorded as were possessed by the other Provinces. He should infinitely prefer to retain the County form of Government, but he feared that so long as it remained so it would continue to be without influence and liable to be subject to injustice at the hands of the General Government. It would also be desirable to confer some degree of legislative powers which the County Council did not possess. This was very manifest in respect to the Road Boards, two or three of which had manifested a disposition to assume powers which did not properly belong to them, and the only remedy for such a state of matters was to enable the Council to frame regulations for the Road Boards, and to define their powers and functions.

Mr Button said that it was now about four years since he attended a publics meeting at Charleston for the purpose of considering the desirability of separation from Nelson. The County of Westland at that time had an ample revenue, and it was deemed to be sufficiently large.

He (Mr Button) recommended the meeting to petition to be formed into a County. His idea then was that two counties in close proximity would work harmoniously together, and would.nossess considerable influence. The agitation which ensued, though it did not result in separation, so alarmed the Nelson Government that they sent down Mr Lightband, a former Warden, to get up a petition against the movement. Mr Lightband was successful in procuring .signatures, but he was robbed of the petition, and the document never reached head-quarters. The dissatisfaction of the district with Nelson rule 'continued, and he (Mr Button) would admit that he had done what he could t) fan the flame, and the agitation had now reached such a point that separation was inevitable. The question, however, was whether it was desirable for the Nelson West Coast Gold Fields to unite with the County. Four years ago that course was not deemed expedient, but the case had become different, and the advisability of a union was more generally admitted. With respect to the form of government, the simplicity of the present system should not be lost sight of. The County, without legislative powers, had gone on without requiring legislation except in the case of the Waste Lands Act Only one Act in five years, and he was quite sure that with legislative powers there would be several Bills introduced every session, and that those, when passed, would require amendments in subsequent sessions. This, and the other adjuncts inevitable in the Provincial form of Government, would be very costly. The County had had its wings clipped by the Government, and bnt for that it would have demonstrated its superiority most undeniably. With respect to the Road Boards, they were very useful local bodies, though probably the system might require repairs, He thought their relations with the Council should be better defined, and they should be made to understand the limits of their functions.

The Chairman trusted the Council would not go back to the old resolution as proposed by the member for Hokitika (Mr Moos). He (die Chairman) had been asked from Wellington to express his opinion, aud to procure also that of the

; Council. It was therefore advisable tjo give a distinct and clear opinion on the subject. He now desired to insert tho word " local" before the word " Government" in the resolution. ( After some further disctission, MrHoqs withdrew his, amendment, leave was given to insert tho word " local " in the Chairman's resolution, which, as thus amended, passed by a unanimous vote. 1 On tho motion of the Chairman, the Council resolved itself into Committeo to r, consider whatfornx of Government, oither County or Provincial, is best suited for the united District of Westland. , The Chairman was of opinion the Comity form of Government was preferable, lie would admit that ho had thought differently at onetime, but he was now convinced that in no case would the district bo improved by forming it into a Province. ; Mr Robinson thought that an objection to the County form of Government was the irresponsibility of the Chairman to the Council. .Ho. referred to several instances in which such want of responsibility had become injurious, and expressed himself favorable to fornling the united districts into a Province. After some further discussion, progress was ordered to be reported, and the Council resumed. Ou Thursday, on the motion of the Chairman, the Council resolved itself into Committee for the further consideration of this question. Mr Barff moved—" That this Council is of opinion that the new form of Government proposed by the member for the Grey Valley, Mr W. H. Harrison, is far too cumbrous and complicated, and entirely unsuited (o the requirements of the West Coast Gold Fields. ft Considerable discussion ensued, and it being deemed undesirable to deal with Mr Baril's motion whilo in Committee, the resolution was withdrawn. The Committee then proceeded to dis- ! cuss the question as proposed by Mr HOO3 —"That tho form of the County Govern- - mentbe retained, and that the adequate number of members from. Hip annexed district be added to this Council." A long discussion took place, in the course of which Mr Robinson and -Mr Barff explained the reasons which in their opinion rendered a Provincial form of Government desirable, while the other members all expressed themselves strongly in favor of the County system, and on the qnestioa being put, tho motion of Mr Hoos passed without dissent. The Committee then discussed the proposition of Mr Hoos— " That the Chairman of the County Chairman be elected by Jho people, and that he occupy a seat in the Council as an ex officio member, having no original, but a casting vote.*' After discussion, the following amendment, moved by Mr Hoos, was carried — " That tho Chairman be elected by tho electors eligible to vote for members for the County Council." Progress was ordered to be reported, and the Council resumed.