PUBLIC MEETING AT PAROA.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1255, 7 August 1872, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING AT PAROA.

A public meeting for the purpose of discussing the best form of Government for the West Coast Gold Fields, and to consider the Greymouth memorial, was held at Paroa on Monday last. The attendance was pretty fair, and would have been yet* more numerous if the weather had not been so stormy. Mr Maurice O'Connor having been voted to the chair, explained that he had convened the meeting in order to get some expression of public opinion in the district on the memorial prepared by the Greymouth Committee. He proceeded to illustrate the leading features of the address, and laid particular stress upon the necessity of uniting the whole of the West Coast under one government. He stated that perhaps in some detail matters, the Greymouth address might be found to disagree with the views of the inhabitants of the district, and referred to a certain petition of the combined Road Boards in Westland, as likely to clash with some suggestions contained in Greymouth memorial. He, however, pointed out, that it was that reason principally that the Board decided to submit the present document to the popular test in the district.. He would, however, also remark, that in order to further the principal object — the fusion of the West Coast Gold Fields —the meeting might go so far as to strain a point with regard to minor details, and he hoped that some unanimous resolution would be arrived at which would strengthen the position of the Greymouth Committee. The memorial was then read to the meeting, when

Mr John Power asked the Chair in what particular the Road Boards Memorial

disagreed with? the one Jinow under consideration 1 '■-. ' •

The Chairman replied that in his opening remarks he had alluded to the proposal, by the memorial, to constitute Road Boards by the Provincial Council, in contrast with which the Road Boaids petition asked for an establishment of their powers under the direct supervision of the General Government.

Mr Dowling would like to know whether this meeting could simply adopt ..orreject the memorial, or whether it could offer suggestions and expect that these would be inserted in it. He, for his part, thought that the meeting could hardly be expected to endorse a document to which it might have some improvements to offer, and he thought that the present form of the memorial was only a rough draft forwarded to the various districts, in order to elicit some further' amendments thereon. He" proceeded to quote a newspaper report of Mr Mastera's remarks as seconder of the motion at the Greymouth meeting to adopt the memorial, and would ask the chair if he was permitted to table some resolutions amending certain paragraphs of the memorial. ' :

The Chairman stated that it was his opinion that no alterations to the document under discussion would be made. It had been adopted by the. Greympnth meeting, and would as such remain in its present form. Ho did not for a moment think that the Greymouth Committee could be expected to tack on a number of amendments, but thought that if some resolutions were tabled, suggesting a remedy for existing grievances, they would have their due weight. .. Mr Dowljng would not throw any obstacles in the way of accomplishing the main object, but would avail himself of the permission of the chair to put before the meeting some resolutions bearing, on the question.

Mr Leach thought that it was necessary for this meeting to express some decided opinion— either to adopt or reject the memorial. There could be no doubt but that the main object was to effect a union of the Gold Fields, and he thought that, if they were to adopt the memorial, they should not endeavor, by any amendments, to weaken its weight, but should show for the time a perfect concurrence, if even at the sacrifice of some less important desirabilities.

Mr Colton coincided with the last speaker's remarks, for he did not in any way approve of the formation of road boards to be left in the hands of the Provincial Council, and from his experience as a member of the Road Board, he could say that, if such were to be the case, the two bodies would never work well- together. He would instance, aa a proof, the unsatisfactory relations of the Boards with the County Chairman's Office, which had always attempted to obstruct the Board in their actions. He referred to. the veto, for a time, put on N the Board's rate, by which he estimated the Board suffered a loss of LIOO. He would, therefore, now move—" That this meeting is of opinion that it is the desire of the General Government to form a new scheme for the better government of the South-West Gold Fields; this meeting is, therefore, of opinion that the most essential change would be to form the whole of the said gold fields into one Province, with a Provincial Council and Road Boards ; that the General Government fix a fair proportion, of the revenue on the said Boards, with rating powers to execute works Of utility, unrestrained by the said Council ; the said Boards to have the recommending of lands for sale or for lease, within their several districts." He trusted the meeting would adopt his resolution, even if they would, by so doing, reject a portion of the memorial. Mr Dowling .seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. . Mr Leach now rose to move the adoption of the memorial, and would impress upon the meeting that they could not now add to or take from it in any way, as it vas there in its final form and as such lfad already obtained 70 or more signatures at the very township of Paroa. Mr Colton would rather reject it altogether than assent to it in its present form. '

Mr John Power thought thaj it might be, perhaps, bad taste for them to offer amendments on the Greymouth memorial ; but he considered it equally in bad taste for the residents of Greyraouth to draft a memorial to suit themselves and their little ideas without so much as consulting the country districts, where the bone and sinew of the land, the miners, were living. It seemed to him that the latter were entirely overlooked, and he thought it a fitting opportunity for them to make their wishes in the matter to be understood.

Mr Leach then withdrew his resolution, and moved in lieu of it— "That,, in yiew of the most pressing necessity existing for an alteration of the present boundary line between Nelson and Westlaud, thiS meeting do assent to and adopt the Greymouth memorial, reserving to itself, however, the right of rejecting such portion thereof as relates to the formation of Road Boards by the future Provincial Council." Carried unanimously. Mr Dowling wished to refer to a passage in Mr Harrison's scheme by which I only ratepayers were proposed to have a ! vote at elections, but confessed to be mistaken, as he could not find the passage "when he produced a copy of the scheme. Mr Michael Keating thought that; he had seen the word ratepayer somewhere in connection with it ; and Mr John Power thought that the miners were the real ratepayers, as they paid more taxes than any other class, and suggested that on account of the great mineral and other resources of the Grey District, as well as its central position, Greymouth be recommended as the seat for the future Provincial Council. _A. vote of thanks to the Greymouth Memorial Committee, and to the chair, terminated the proceedings.