THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY FRIDAY, MAY 22, 1874.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1808, 22 May 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY FRI DAY, MAY 22, 1874.

The Westland Register is evidently doubly blessed — first with the command of a pen that is always entitled to respect, and which seldom falters in sense or logic — and second, with the- services of a writer whose effusions are only woi'ih consideration because some of them are written evidently to the order of the party upon which the existence of the Register depends. A singular article appeals in that paper of yesterday which, divested of its verbiage, amounts to a condemnation of all those who have ventured to express opinions regarding the proposed loan which do not entirely suit the views of the Superintendent; and a defence of Mr Bonar against the charge of inconsistency—that . because whilst he voted against Provincial borrowing in the Legislative Council last session, he should now be a warm advocate for a considerable loan for Westland. It is not worth while to discuss these matters with our contemporary, but we may say that as we are and always have been in favor of a reasonable loan for Westland,- or any other

Province, any remarks we have made upon the apparent inconsistency of Mr Bonar cannot be taken as having an intention; to damage the Province iv any application it may make. The Superintendent will have all the support that we can give him in the efforts to obtain a loan for Westland, but we shall at the same time endeavor to keep the amount with;n proper limits, and to prevent the money being expended foolishly. The Register, in explaining the difference between the action of the Hon. J. A. Bonar in the Legislative Council, and the policy proposed by the same gentleman as Superintendent of Westland, points out the difference between the Provincial Loans Empowering- Bill of last Session and the Loan Bill which Westland is to prefer at the coming one. Our contemporary says : — " What the Ministry proposed was to bestow upon- the Provinces generally ah irresponsible "borrowing power, subject only to certain limitations as to security ; and, by a declaratory clause, to free the Colony from any liability in respect of Provincial loans contracted in this way. Many members doubted if any measure of the Assembly could confer this immunity upon the Colony, and many more were of opinion that, in any case, the Provincial administrations had not in every instance shown themselves so judicious as to render it advisable to entrust them with such large powers as was proposed. What the Superintendent of Westland proposes now is to obtain pi>wer from the Assembly to borrow a certain sum, for the construction of certain definite works, or — as is far preferable— tlmt the Colony shall borrow the said [ sum on our behalf. Now, because his JHonor was one of those who voted adversely to the Ministerial scheme of 1873, it is strenuously urged that he could not in consistency support, not to say originate any such proposal as that which he has actually laid before the Council.'*' We can only reply to this that the Legislative Couacil not only threw out the various measures introduced by tie Government, but actually sacrificed a Bill of exactly the same character as that now proposed to be applied to Westland — we ■refer to the Wellington Loan Bill, introjduced by the Hon. Mr Fitzherbert in the jLower House. That Bill specified the ipur poses to which the loan was to be japplied, it. provided security, the Colony I was to raise the money, and the measure jhad previously received the assent of the (Provincial Council by resolution. And jyet the Hon. J. A. Bonar was one of |thoße who voted against it. But why i quarrel about the matter? circumstances alter cases, and the Superintendent of , Westland has no doubt since his election ,to the" Chief Magistracy of the Province ; seen cogent reasons for a change of policy. ' We: are all agreed upon the necessity of borrowing money for the development of the Province, and the only grounds of discussion are the amount to be asked for, and the nature of the purposes to which the money is to be applied. It must not be supposed that important matters like these are to be decided without the most ample debate, or that proposals are to be swallowed wholesale just because they emanate from the Superintendent who, we are glad to observe by the Register's report of his Honor's remarks in the Council on Tuesday, is now of opiniou that "it would be no use asking for a very large amount, as the application 1 would not be entertained."

We would draw the attention of the Provincial Council, when they come to deal with the Education Bill in Committee, to the fact that according to the recent census the number of houses in Westland (including under that term, we presume, any kind of habitable dwelling) is only 4974, and that it is a fair presumption that not more than 3000 will practically be available for the purposes of rating for Educational, purposes. Will £3000 per annum be sufficient for the maintenance of a thoroughly efficient system of Education? •■ .

In the Provincial Council on Wednesday, correspondence was laid upon the table relating to the East and West Coast Railway and the proposed line. between Greymouth .and Hokitika. The Superintendent laid 011 the table a statement of the result of the last census as far as Westland is concerned, which exhibited the follow.

ing results .-—Population in 1874, 14,823, as against ] 5,357 in 1871, showing a decrease of 534. Of the total, 898 ate ■ Chinese. A petition was presented from , a number of residents in "Hokitika agaihst.' the application of the Municipal Water Works Act, 1872, to the town of flokitika. In reply to a question from Mr Dungan regarding punt accommodation at the Teretnakau River, his Honor said that, subsequent to the recent floods he had received a letter from Messrs Cheffings and Whitten, stating that it was impossible to erect the punt at the same place with only one year's protection. A petition had also been received from the parties in reference to the losß sustained, which he considered one of great hardship. It was a matter entirely for the consideration of the Council. With respect to the refund of publichouse license fees, the Superintendent, in reply to Mr Cuming, stated that he had instructed the Treasurer to prepare for the unexpired portion of time, so that parties coming on the Ist Jnly to take out a license under the new Act should receive a Provincial cheque for the amount representing the balance for uuexpired time. License-holders who have been granted licenses, but who declined to take out another on the Ist July, could not receive the refund, unless the Council requested that such should be done. Mr Guinness's •motion for the setting apart of Recreation Reserves in all tlie townships of the Province was carried, his Honor stating that ] he would have great pleasure in 'giving effect to any measure for this purpose. A debate on the Hokitika Water Works empowering Ordinance was postponed until yesterday. The Superintendent moved the second reading of the Education Bill, and a debate ensued for the full publication of which we have not room iuthisissue. His Honor with regard to the raising of the necessary funds said : — " The Ordinance would afford education to all, and that free of cost as far as school fees were concerned, but not without taxation— all taxes were, no doubt, disagreeable, but there was the great necessity staring this matter boldly in the face, and under any circumstances, it could not be done without a small tax. The next question was the most desirable way to get money — whether by means of the system already adopted, or another by fixing a rate on every child. He had thought it better at one time to adopt the Road Board rather than the Municipal Roll, to simplify the collection of a rate, but, on further consideration, had discovered tliat an equitable rate to reach all, could not be reached by meaus of the Road Board Rolls. That meant — as the rolls then were — taxing one section of the commuuity to provide for another. On looking over the last rolls of the Road Boards, he found that a shilling rate would only yield L 350 sum quite insufficient for the purposes of education, and would not be an equitable burden on the whole community. He had then to fall back on household rating. The Road Boards, he discovered, did not exercise their full rating powers, for while the rates were levied on those living in towns and bona fide occupiers of land, mining plant went free ; therefore the best way was household rating, and, if they took a children' 3 rate at s*, it would make L2OOO more, or, in all L6OOO, which was considered sufficient. The Council could not give any assistance, and must depend on powers provided by that Ordinance. Mr Woolcock thought a property tax would be better and more equitable than a house tax, and that some provision should be made for Mechanic's Institutes. Mr Dungan appears to have given the Bill a lukewarm support, admitting the necessity of providing funds for education, but being averse to taxation for the purpose. He objected to the educational districts being the same as the Road Board districts, and pointed out that in the Paroa District there were five centres of population. He also objected to giving power to the Superintendent to appoint the Secretary or Inspector of Schools, it should be left to the Central Board. Mr Robinson was utterly opposed to denominational teaching, and thought, that the educational power should be more concentrated. He, likfi Mr Woolcock, was opposed to the household tax as pressing heavily on the poor man, and was in favor of taxing property. He would not, however, offer any opposition to the Bill. His Honor, in reply, atiength interviewed and combatter] the various objections to the Bill, pointing out that although the tax was called household, it was iv reality on property. It was his intention to move a clause iv Committee, that any religious teaching should be free from a controversial character, and should bo imparted at stated hours. .He concluded his remarks by stating he agreed with the member for Kanieri, that one school with two teachers was far preferable to two schools with one teacher each. But the Council must not forget that a large section of the community felt strongly that their children should be under denominational control, and it was necessary in a measure of this sort to study all and carry the sympathies of the community. The Trespass and Impounding Ordinance was read a second time, and the Council adjourned.