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Grey River Argus, Volume XIII, Issue 1639, 5 November 1873, Page 2

Mr. White, M.H.R., who addressed his constituents at Hokitika on Monday evening, may be congratulated upon his resemblance to good wine. He improves by age 5 becoming by the influence of time less acrid and more, mellow. Judging by his speech he is not now in such an expressed attitude of opposition as he has been ; he cah enumerate occasions on which he voted with a large majority, and that majority including the Government ; and 'he fulfilled what might not be a congenial, but what he no doubt felt to be a conscientious duty, by denouncing nomineeism and its influence upon the Provincial Borrowing Bill, even though his remarks had as much applicability to Iccal * friends as to any members of the Upper House. We only wish, indeed, . that we had the space to quote in parallel columns his views of Provincial borrowing aud those of the Hon. Mr Bonar on the same subject in his place in the Council ; but for the present we can only quote information which Mr White snpplied on a subject which, since Westland has got its loan, may be more interesting to the general public. To Greymouth readers, indeed, the last

of the speech, like the postscript of a lady's letter, is the most interesting of the lot. It relates to the forthcoming conversion of the County into a Province, and is thus reported :— He had telegraphed to Mr V"ogel, asking when the Provincial Act would come into operation, as follows :— " Can you kindly, infprm me when Province of Westland Act comes into operation; Being a candidate anxious to know." To which he received the following reply :-"Dr Pollen is away, and I cannot find out the exact arrangement he has determined on, but I gave him the paper signed by the West Coast members, and he will give effect to it. My impression is that the beginning of (January was the time for bringing the Act into operation. Writs must be issued within thirty days thereafter." He then sent another telegram :— " Understood that arrangement was to be such that Superintendents would be elected by Ist of January at latest. Up to which date County supplies voted. Proposed delay will necessitate County Council— regarded as virtually defunctmeeting as usual in January, presenting anomaly of sitting as such in Province of Westland. Can you not bring Act into operation earlier ? As change is to take place it appears to me expedient to make transition with all possible despatch. Public mind in expectancy of issue of writs. It seems our Waste Lands Amendment Act cannot be availed of until Weatland proclaimed Province. Pray pardon my troublesomeness." And he received the following answer :— " Westland Provincial Act will be brought into operation so as to enable the elections to take place next month." '