COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS,

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1359, 6 December 1872, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS,

GREYMOUTH NOMINATION. The nomination of candidates for tlio representation of Grey mouth in the County Council took place yesterday at the Court House at noon. Judging from the very largo attendance of the general public, this election will excite more interest than any other which has yet taken place in Greymouth. The Returning- Officer (Mr W. H. Revell) opened the proceedings, and called upon any gentleman to propose a candidate for the two vacant seats. Mr E. Wickes proposed Mr. M. Kennedy as a fit and proper person to represent the district. He thought that from the energetic manner in winch Mr Kennedy had conducted his own business and everything that had been entrusted^ to him, they ought to have every confidence in reposing their trust in his hands. Mr Dcjncan M'Lean seconded the nomination, as he considered the candidate the right man in the right place. Mr Donald Maclean proposed, and Mr T. Joyce seconded, the nomination of Mr H. H. Lahman. MrR. De Costa proposed Mr E. B. Fox. He said that the candidate he proposed had held ■ a seat in the County Council for some time, and the residents in the district- had never found fault with any of his actions. He was one of the oldest residents in the district, and from his long residence here he had acquired an intimate knowledge of the wants, not only of the town but of the entire district, and to serve 'the constituency that returned him. (Hear, hear.) Mr Jas. Johnston seconded the nomination. He said he had known the candidate from his youth, both in this Colony and Australia, and he had always found Mm to be an honest and upright man. During his career in the Council he had served the town without fear or favor, and it was the duty of the constituency to return him again. Mr Fox's conduct in the Council had been honest and fearless, and it might be said of him that although he was poor he was honest yet. (Applause.) He hoped that Mr Fox would be returned at the head of the poll. Mr George Glenn proposed, and Mr Daniel Sheedy Seconded, the nomination of Mr Wm. Marshall Cooper. Mr F. Hamilton proposed Mr W. S. Smith, as a gentleman thoroughly qualified to represent the district in the County Council. He had no hesitation in stating that Mr Smith was worthy of the support of the community as an independent candidate. He had been connected with the district from its infancy, and had so managed his private affairs with discretion, that implicit confidence could be placed in him as the representative of the district. Mr W. J. Coates seconded the nomination. Mr J. Harris proposed, and Mr D. Carroll, seconded the nomination of Mr James Johnston. Mr Johnston declined to stand. The Returning Officer then called upon the candidates to address the electors in the order in which they had been nominated. Mr M. Kennedy camo forward amid applause, and said : For the first time in politics I am addressing an assembly, and I assure you I would not have come forward if the circumstances of the County were not such as to demand the liveliest interest being taken in them by those who have the affairs of the County at heart. There are five candidates in the field for the two seats, and we know we cannot all be returned. But I think it is an evidence of the interest that is now being taken in the affairs of the County, and the large assemblage now 1 present shows that the public generally are taking a greater interest in these elections. It would come ill from any person seeking the position of a member of the new County Council, to say anything detrimental to the members of the late Council, but I think I could not consistently come forward if I entirely approved of the conduct of the late representatives. It is because I believe public opinion is against the manner in which the late representatives have acted, an opinion in which I concur^ that I come forward to-day. From a financial point of view, the affairs of the County Council have come to a crisis. At the present moment there is a large, debt owing by the Council, and it is not creditable either to the Council, or to the constituencies who sent the members there, that the position of the County should be one of insolvency. When the County could not pay it servants or subsidies to charitable institutions for six months it was practically insolvent. What share your representatives have had in bringing the County into this position is for you to judge and|to'see that they can offer such explanations as will induce you again to return them, and that, if returned, they can put these things right again. (Mr Lahman : Hear, hear.) . •I will meet you on an early date, and give you an opportunity of questioning mo as to my opinions. So long as the County remains it is your duty to return to the Council members who will do their duty without fear pr favor, in order to reduce establishments, so that nothing is kept tin the County pay except what is actually required for the public service. He believed that in mauy cases an amalgamation of offices could be effected, and in others a number of assistants dispensed with. For instance, the County Treasurer could do all the work of his own office, and with regard to the County Chairman's office, judging from the small receipts of the County, and the small amount of business to be transacted, the expenses of that department could easily be cut down. I come forward with the firm belief that a large number of the electors desire that I should go into the Comity Council. I have no desire to thrust myself upon the notice of the constituency if you think I will not serve you faithfully, and advance your interests in the Council. The interest I have in the district is well known, and I can confidently refer to the action I have taken in the past on many political questions. Our local politics have been numerous, if not important, and it is for the electors to say whether the part I have taken in them is creditable or otherwise. If condemnatory, I ask you not to vote for me. I assert that the interests of this district have not been attended to as they ought to have been in the County Council. (Applause.) The Hon. H. H. Lahman next cama forward. He said he felt placed at a

disadvantage, although he 'was an old . servant of the constituency, as his political opponents had made every effort to mako the community believe that he had not done his best for the Borough of Greymouth. (A Voice. — "So you have.'") All he asked fov was a fair hearing— fair play was a jewel, and he had yet to learn that faithful servants were to be thrown aside for those who, as yet, had done nothing to serve the Borough of Greymouth. (Applause.) He was prepared to place before them papers and figures sufficient to convince even his strongest opponents that he had done nothing but his duty, and had never left out of sight the interests of Greymouth. No doubt, as they all knew, the affairs of the County were in an embarrassed state, but he emphatically deuied that that circuinatance had been brought about by any action of their representatives. They were brought about by circumstances over which no human being could have any control. They knew that the Estimates were framed upon the revenue of the previous six months, but no person could anticipate a falling off to such an alarming extent in the County revenue. This falling off was partly owing to the action taken by the General Government, partly to the exodus from the County, and partly to the great falling off in the revenue. Something had been said by another speaker as to the non-payment of salaries and subsidies, but he asserted that all salaries had been paid up to the end of September, and he believed that that day they would ba paid up to the end of October. The position of the Council was caused by the General Government impounding revenue, over which the Council always had control hitherto, and which they expected they would still retain the control. In fact, he would rather be a creditor of of the County than of the best merchant in Westland. (Laughter.) Whatever obligations the County had to meet would be paid in full, and if they could not do so on the exact day it was doe, they could hold harmless ■ every person who held the County's paper. (Mr Harris : "I have some.") Mr Lahman : I deny that, because we never give promissory notes. (Mr Harris : "I got them secondhand.") Mr Lahman continued: That he had been asked by a large number of persons what blame attached to him owing to his action as County Chairman, and at the meeting which he intended to hold in a few days he would undertake most positively to prove that whatever he had done as County Chairman he had acted as an honest man, and had never lost sight of Ms duty to his constituents. (Hear, hear.) All the roads which had been made in the district had been through his efforts. N v doubt he had been assisted by his colleague and also by the member for the Paroa district. At the same time he could not lose sight of the fact that in the position in which he was placed he must do his duty impartially to the whole of the County, but still he had always done his duty to his constituency, and those who said he had advanced the interests of Hokitika at the expense of Greymouth, spoke falsely. He was glad to come forward in the company of gentlemen whom he respected, and who he had known for manj years, and he would be only too happy to act with either of them as colleagues, Whatever accusations his opponents had to bring against him, he hoped would be done to his face at the meetings which he intended shortly to call. : Mr Kennedy explained that what he said was that salaries and subsidies fo] charitable purposes had not been paid foi six months. He referred particularly tc the Grey River Hospital. Mr E. B. Fox said it was not his intett tion to address. them at any length or that occasion, as he would hold a meeting shortly, at the Town Hall, when he woulc make any explanations he thought fit But he would say, from his experience that the County system, with all its faults, difficulties, and disadvantages, was the best system of local government tha had been adopted, and was infinitely pre ferable to the Provincial system. Whil< in the Council, he had done his best foi the district, and he thought that he coulc compare himself favorably with any othei member in that body. Perhaps, a; somebody had said, he had the crimt of having nothing at stake in the County He would call that a crime — (No, no.)— but he could proudly say that he had fear lessly done his duty in the Council on be half of his constituents^ (Hear, hear.) Hi did not change his opinions with ever] wind, and if returned ho would stil adhere to bringing in the main road ty way of Marsden and Omotumotu Creek, He wished to see the whole of the Wes Coast from Bruce Bay to the Karame* brought under one form of Government He cared not what form ifc was, so long ai the Chairman or Superintendent wai elected by the voice of the people. (Hear hear.) All he could say was, that hitherto he had done his duty honestly, and beyonc that he could do no more. Mr W..M. Cooper said it was satisfac tory to himself and the other candidates to see such _ a large . assemblage, as i1 showed the interest which was taken ir the election. He did not intend to -makt a long speech, and he did not consider i\ incumbent on him to review the actions of their late representatives in the Countj Council, as he came forward before either of them announced their intention of standing, and when he was led to believe that one of them at least would not come forward. The principal reason which, induced him to come forward was that he saw clearly that a very strong effort required lo be made to bring the County back to a state of financial soundness. One of the candidates had asserted that the County was not inaolvent, and that all ils affairs could easily bo put right. He had looked carefully through the returns of revenue and expenditure of the County for the last few years, and his belief was that the County was going deeper and deeper into the mire. 'J. Harris : "Does it owe you anything V — Laughter.) With the fact that the ordinary revenue was not meeting the ordinary expenditure, he could see no possible means of the present state of affairs being carried on, and therefore, it could only be by a radical chaiige in the County's affairs that it could pay its debts. It was very much to be deplored that such a valuable institution as the Grey River Hospital should have its subsidies unpaid for six months, as it was likely to impair the usefulness of the institution by causing the Committee to ref uso patients. It was clear that the assistance of the General Government would have to be invoked, but they could never expect to receive that assistance until

•they showed a desire to keep their ordinary expenditure within their revenue. If returned he would endeavor to obtain a.revision of the award in re the Canterbury loans, which hung like a mill-stone round Westland's neck. With regard to roads, he was not inclined to stick to an opinion, once formed, even after lie had been convinced that he was wrong. As he had explained at his recent meeting, he had seen good reason to change his opinion, and he how believed that the Sawyer's Creek was the proper route for the road, and was quite ready to state his . reasons to any person, who .was competent to judge. There was every probability that during the next sesaion of the Council the land laws of the County -would be revised, and if returned he would endeavour to open up the land to hona fide settlers. that there might be a large increase in the settled agricultural population, which, combined with gold-mining, would make Westland one of the most prosperous districts in the Colony. He would make immediate arrangements to meet the electors at suitable times and places, when ho would answer any questions that might W.put to him. ♦ Mr W. S. Smith next came forward, and was received with applause. He said he did not intend to make a long speech, as he would take another opportunity 'of explaining his views on matters which were likely to come before the next session of the County Council. But he would take the opportunity of explaining that before the requisition was given to him he had no intention of becoming a candidate for a seat in the County Council, because he had always looked upon the proceedings of that body as a disgrace, and did not care k> have his name connected with it. He referred nov only to the disgraceful scramble for the Chairmanship, but also to the members voting themselves sums of money when they knew that the County could not afford it. (Applause, ) If returned, he would go in for tho express purpose of endeavoring to work out a reform, especially with regard to the amounts which members voted for their own services. He thought that if the members were not paid at so'high a rate a3they were now, the whole business of the Council could be done in a week. He would not say that members coming from a distance should not have; their legitimate expenses paid, but he thought, that members resident in Hokitika should draw nothing from the County. (Hear, hear.) He certainly had come to that meeting with the impression that the County was insolvent, but he was glad to hear from the County Chairman that it was in such a flourishing condition. He could. scarcely understand this, when at a meeting of the Grey River Hospital Committee, held the previous evening, ,he beard that the Hospital subsidies were six months;in arrears, and consequently it became a very serious question with the Committee whether they could continue to carry on the affairs of that institution. That fact alone was a disgrace to Mr Lahman. (Applause.) He would take another opportunity of explaining his views. Mr.LAHMAN, in explanation, said he was not even aware that six months' subsidies were due to the Hospital. (Cries of Oh !) Where was the disgrace to him? If Mr Smith did not receive his rents regularly, or if they were impounded for another purpose,- what would he do ? As County Chairman was he to put his hand in his pocket, to ..meet .. liabilities.. .,. (No,- and laughter. . A show of hands was then taken as follows : — Mr W.' 3. Smith ■;.. ... 57 „M, Kennedy ... ... 52 „ E. B. Fox 37 „ H. H. Lahman. 32 „ W. M. Cooper 19 ' A poll was demanded on behalf of Messrs Cooper and Fox, which was fixed to take place on Thursday, the 12th December, between the hours ot 9 a.m. and i p'm. . . Mr Lahman moved and Mr Smith seconded a vote of thanks to. the Returning Officer, which concluded the proceedings.