THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY FRIDAY, MAY 15, 1874.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1802, 15 May 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY FRIDAY, MAY 15, 1874.

The speech of the Superintendent, a summary of which appears in our telegraphic columns, sets forth the policy which he desires the Council to pursue, and taking it generally we find but few matters with which we can differ. As we expected, the estimated revenue upon which the Council made its appropriations last session has shown a marked decline during, the first quarter of the year, but the amount is not stated. The falling off in the receipts from publicans' licenses is accounted for by the restrictive operation of the new Licensing Act, but it is evident that the general revenue has also decreased. The successful floating of the Westland Loan of £50,000 is a fit subject for, congratulation, inasmuch as it actually realised £800 in premiums. It is satisfactory to learn that the Bank has been paid off, and that to this extent the Province is unfettered by debt, except on account of the Canterbury Loans. Reference is made to the fresh tramway claims that have arisen, but which it appears are to be preferred against the General Government, and not the Province. It is hard to say what will be the fate of these claims ; we doubt if they have legal status, but beyond all doubt they are such as should receive a liberal and considerate treatment. The Superintendent proposes to borrow L 285,000, the expenditure to be extended over live years. We still think that the amount is too large, and that it will meet with opposition on this account, notwithstanding the security the Province can give. In advising the Council to content itself with deciding upon works which may be considered to be of immediate necessity, or which offer the best chance of becoming reproductive at an early period, he indicates amongst those n hich might properly come under this category — the Mikonui Water-race, to cost £35.000 ; a portion of the Great South Road, i>10,000; road from Arnold to Lake Brunner, £5000 : road to the Taipo reefs, ; Hokitika river protective works, £10,000; school buildings, ,£3OOO ; Provincial Government Buildings, ,£4OOO —in all £73,500. We are glad to see that his Honor recognises the advisability of constructing a railway between Greymouth and Hokitika, and as he states that the General Government approve the. scheme, ir may be expected that it will receive Parliamentary sanction next session. Of course it remains with the Council to decide the various matters submitted by the Superintendent, and it may be expected that some of the items of the policy proposed will be the subject of considerable discussion. We advise the Council to be more moderate in its application for a loan. We express the opinion which we strongly feel that to ask for a loan of £285,000, even if the money is to be expended over a period of five years, is ■ asking more than the Legislature is likely ( to grant. The Mikonui Water- race should be excised from the list of works to be constructed by the Province. It should be made by the Colony, and although the General Government has declined to go on with it, simply on account of want of funds, it is most probable that a further appropriation of money will be voted next session for water supply. Our opinions regarding the Great South road are well known, and we still adhere to them. The proposal to spend £10,000 upon protective works at Hokitika is one that is open so much comment, and it is doubtful if the Council should not act as the General Government did with Greymouth, take security for the amount over the rates and wharfage revenue of the Borough of Hokitika. We shall, however, be better able to discuss the various matters in his Honor's speech when they come before the Council in a positive form.

It is evident that the question of questions which the Council will have to decide is that of the amount of the proposed loan, and the direction in which the money, if obtained, is to be expended. The Register, which we recognise as the interpreter of the views of tht* Superintendent, continues to combat our remarks upon the proposal to construct what is called " the Great South Road," and insists that the work is par excellence one that the Province should undertake out of the anticipated loan. We ventured the other day to point out what we considered to be a flagrant inconsistency in the Council seeking to be relieved of the cq3t of restoring and maintaining the Christchurch road whilst at the same time proposing to construct another road of a similarly speculative character. We drew attention to this because we should not like to 'see the claims of Wetland to Colonial assistance jeopardised by proposals which are inconsistent with concurrent action in another direction. But the Begisler sticks — loyally we may say, in the face of many obvious reasons, for the moderation of its vie ws — to its pet idea, and in answer to our comments says : —

We are not aware that Westland has determined to ask for money to construct the Great South road. All that we know is, that a Committee of the Provincial Council has agreed to the proposition that the said road is a necessary \vo»k — a proposition that few will dispute. The road will,' doubtless, be constructed gradually, and we hope to see provision made for the making of a portion of it, in any schedule of works which the Council may adopt. It is by no means a similar road to the Christchurch road, except in the general fact that, like all other roads, it is intended for traffic. The Christchurch road was made for Canterbury ; the Great South road will be made for the benefit of Westland, and, instead of "running to nowhere," a3 our contemporary states, will run through a country known to be rich in timber and gold, and which only awaits the means of access that roads afford to become the most flourishing part of Westland, and, perhaps,' of the Colony. The steamer Waipara, on her last trip, a few weeks ago, from the south brought up a hundred or more ounces of the finest sample of nuggetty gold that has been found on the West Coast Such a sample coming from any accessible region of the Colony would have caused a stampede to the locality ; but nothing of the kind eventuates in this case, because, for want of roads, the, country, as is generally known, is inaccessible, and provisions are at famine prices. And ad to the Christohurch road, what Westland refuses — or should re£iisß— is not so much the cost of maintenance

as that t of reconstruction. Moreover, the Christchurcli road is a Colonial road, despibe the fact! that Westland has been unjustly saddlec! with its cost ; while the Great South road would be essentially a Provincial work.

Our cwnte'mporary with paidouable zeal ' will persist in accepting as a fact that the j district, which the proposed road is to traverse is hnown to be rich in timber and gold. It may be, and probably is richly endowed, as is most of the West Coast, with forests of timber, but a few isolated discoveries of gold do not constitute sufficient reason for believing that the district is "rich" in the precious metal. We fancy that there is not much difference between the southern territory and that of the northern portions of the Province. Gold most probably exists, as it exists in many places to tho north, and possibly improved means of communication might lead to discoveries of new gold-fields. But there has been no evideuce shown that an expensive work such as that contemplated is at all justified by any reasonable anticipations based upon facts. As we have said on many previous occasions, the southern district ought to be made accessible, but we still protest against the large expenditnre that appears to be contemplated. We may, however, leave the matter in the hands of the Council, and we have reason to think that this ambitious, and under the circumstances of the Province, "magnificently ridiculous" work will not receive the assent of the Council. Probably a proposal to provide means of access to the unoccupied parts of the Province on a modest 3cale may meet with support, and we may expect that the Council will take this view of the case.

The Superintendent has neglected to follow the usual practice of forwarding to the Press advance copies of the Bills proposed to be suhmitted to the Provincial Council, and we are therefore in the dark as to the merits of the measures to be brought before that body. Amongst those that have been announced, the Education Bill will probable engage the largest amount of debate and interest. As far as we can learn it is the intention to adopt the Nelson Ordinance in its most essential features — that is to say, to make such provision as will meet the objection which certain religious communities urge against the absence of all religious teaching in the public schools. The Nelson system is admittedly a compromise, and has worked well hitherto, notwithstanding the apparent inequality of a uniform household tax. Of course, even the Nelson system is not perfect , it does not meet exactly the views of any particular section of the community, but it is one of those things which illustrate Mr Stafford's dictum he uttered the other day, when he said that if you cannot get the very thing you warn, get the best thing you can obtain. Oue thing wo would desire to impress upon the Council in regard to the Education Bill — that provision should be made for granting aid to schools of any kind in outlying districts that can show sumegood results. If the Nelson system is to be adopted, the Province will have to be divided into educational districts, Committees formed, and rates levied. And it will most likely be found that in some localities the rates will be large, whilst, the number of children demanding educational facilities will be small, whilst in others the case will be reversed. It will be necessary to make the Ordinance sufficiently elastic to meet the varying an \ peculiar circumstances of the communities ; for no cast iron law can possibly suit Westland. The Nelson Act, good as it is, was framed to meet the requirements of a settled agricultural population, and in some of its features is not adapted to the state of things in Westland. We are inclined to think that the most suitable system that could be imposed upon this Province is that advocated by the talented Professor Hearn of the Melbourne University — payment by results. But his system of State aid is based upon the | assumption that the State grants are to be paid out of the ordinary revenue of the Colony, whilst as far as Westland is concerned no aid can be given expect in the shape of the application of direct taxation for education. We propose going into this question fully as soon as we obtain a copy of the Bill proposed to be introduced — in the meantime we would impress upon the Council that they are not dealing with a question affecting a large and concrete community, but a small and scattered one, and that therefore they must make their Education Act as elastic and useful as possible.

A Municipal hitch has occurred at Hokitika. Mr Cassidy, one of tht> members of the Borough Couucil, having been absent from the sittings of the Council for four meetings, tbe question was raised whether by this fact his seat did not ipso facto become vacant, at a meeting of the Council the other day, after a lcng and apparently acrimonious discussion, the Mayor, fortified by a legal opinion by Mr Button, declared Mr Uassidy's seat vacant. Since then Mr Cassidy's friends have taken the matter up, cxuestioning the legality of the Mayer's action, and they have ascertained that the Mayor's decision was illegal. It has been determined to instruct the Attorney-General to take Bteps to reinstate Mr Cassidy in his seat

We notice that the inhabitants of the Waimea district intend to present Mr Barff, their late representative in the County Council, with a testimonial, as a recognition of bis valuable services to the district Such a formal acknowledgment of >lr Barff's services is at once grateful and appropriate. Mr Barff— with whose views and political actions we have often had to differ — has aS all times been a painstaking and useful representative, and the electors of the Arahura district made a great mistake in allowing him to be defeated at the last Provincial Council elections.

At the Resident Magistrate's I'ourt, yesterday, John Harris, of Black's Point, was fined LI or 48 hours' imprisonment for being drunk and disorderly.

The Inangahua Herald teporta that at the Band of Hope machine site the batteries have been taken down prior to removal to the Energetic s te, fu-ther down the creek. When re-erected the company will have twenty head of stampers, and with steam power and an abundant supply of stone, the product from the mine will figure largely in the future returns of the gold-pruducing mines of the Inangahua.

It may interest those who participate in the profound interest which some people take in the doings of " the claimaut," to learn that yesterday we were shown a veritable bit of the oakum which that distinguished imposter is now industriously engaged in picking, it was forwarded to a gentleman of this town by a member of his family who is one of the Metropolitan In-

spectors of Prisons, and who took it from a heap tbe " Claimant" had before him.

We draw attention to the programme of the entertainment at tbe Volunteer Hall this evening for the benefit of Miss Aitken. We can assure our readers that all who attend will spend a most enjoyable evening

A lodge of Good Templars has been formed in Oreymouth, the result of a public meeting held on Wednesday evening. The' title of the lodge is " The West Coast Pioneer," and th« members will meet every alternate Tuesday evening ab the Townhall.

The Hon. H. H. Lahman, M. P.0., and Mr Woolcock, MP.C., for Greymotttb, left yesterday morning to attend the meeting of the Provincial Council at Hokitika. Messrs Guinness "and Wickes will leave on Monday. l

Messrs G. W. Moss and Co. have been appointed brokers in Westland for floating shares in the Colonial Bank of New Zealand, and are now preparedjto receive applications.

A proposal has been made at Auckland, that L 50.000 should be borrowed on the security of the city reserves for 50 years ; LI 1,000 to be applied to the extinction of existing liabilities ; L 15.000 for the construction of new sewers, new streets, and general improvements; and L 24.000 for paving, kerbing, and channelling the whole of tbe thoroughfares.

Very large hauls of herrings Have been made at Picton recently. Three tons of this delicate fish were taken in one day. It is supposed that the herring fishery there this season will be a very plenteous one. Picton bloaters are favorites on the breakfast table wherever they are known.

.Messrs Braid and Chambers, engineers, of North Melbourne, are (says the Argus) executing several orders for macninery received from other colonies . One of these is a sawframe of unusual strength for cutting stnue, and has been made for Mr Young, of Sydney, who has the contract for the erection of the new St. Mary's Cathedral in that city. The extra strength was required, as the machine is to be used. for cutting marble. The second machine, which is also being made for Mr Young, is for rubbing down the surface of blocks of marble. It is a revolving iron table, 6ft in diameter, similar 'to. that lately procured by the Castlemaine faying Company, and described in these columns. As, however, polish has to be put on the marble, there is a third machine consisting of another revolving table, whose surface is of lead. .Some of tbe blocks of marble will have to be polished still further with a table with a buff surface, and for that Messrs Br&id and Chambers have' received an order Another of the machines which are being made by this firm is intended for New Zealand. It is for use in the manufacture of spoke 3, axehandles, pick-handles, and so on. and is constructed according to an American design. The same firm, too, has just completed a selfacting ropefeeding circular saw-hench, which accommodates a 42in saw, and whose destination is Queensland.

. From late English news we learn that an appeal from an order of the Court of Appeal o* \ T ew Zealand, m*de on 4th December, 1872, reversing an order of the Supreme C Urt, Otago, in the preceding Septe nber, was heard before the Judicia 1 Committee of the ''rivy Council on the 11th inst. The appellants, Maclean and the B«ik of New Zealand, are bringing the suit against Mr Macandrew, Superintendent of Otago, ami several members of the Executive, in order to declare the invalidity nf certain proclamations made in January, 1867, by them, with respect to land afterwards leased as a goMfield, and assigned to the appellants by way of mortgage for L6OOO, under a lease issued by the Crown in July. 1867. The appellants had obtained an injunction in the Otago Supreme Conrt against the defendants, restraining them from putting the proclamations in force. On appeal to the Appellate Court of New Zealand, the injunction was dissolved, and it was now sought to bave the order of the Appellate Court set aside. I'heir Lordships, after a long discussion, reserved judgment.

As illustrative of the prosperity of the mining districts, a Staffordshire paper relates the following anecdote: — "A professional man entered a provision dealer's shop in one of tbe mining districts, and, piintiug to some sealed tins, inquired what they contained. • Grouse and partridges, sir,' replied the dealer. ' How many birds are there in each, tin, and what do you charge ?' ' There's one bird in each tin, and they are half-a-crown each.' ' Thank you, that is more than I can afford.' No offence, sir ; but we did' not lay them in for gentlemen like you— we got them for the miners A miner called with his wife half an hour ago, and asked the same question as you have. Whea I had answered them, he said, ' Missis, we'll ha' two of them for tea.' "

Mr J. R. Home, who has lately acted as associate to Mr Justice Williams, has been appointed to a position in the Crown Solicitor's office, vacant by. the appointment of Mr A. D. Michie as associate to Mr Justice Stephen.

The Burrawing mine has stopped, and 300 hands have been thrown out of employment. :