WESTLAND COUNTY MATTERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 August 1924, Page 1

WESTLAND COUNTY MATTERS.

Till-: DOYAI.TIES (J PEST I ON. .Mr !-.. A. Wells, County Chairman, r turned I'rnin Wellington in Saturday night. His mission north laid heen mainly in eoniievtiun with the report ,d tlie lioynl Commission regarding tlie payment u! timber royalties to the local he,dies affected. All the West Coast County C 0:111; ils were represent'd directly. There wore two .North l-l.ill I ( -atilly delegates in addition to several memhors ol Parliament. At '.lie depot a t ie 11 li I County Councils, and .-nine Hi .Members of Parliament note represented. A preliminary moetiiio had heen held whereat Mr O'Hrion, -M.P., as repre-eiitino Westland where the represeiiLatinns reeardino royalties eritfinat, d, was voted to the chair, and was deputed to introduce tlie deputation.

It was iiuticeahl" that several .Monikers uf Parliament had a close kiiow'odjie ol tlm lej'itl history of tlie case, and .Mr I'. I.anestone in particular is - p-eially well* •'rounded in tlie history and (irciim.xtani es under whieli tiinher aml flax royalties heemne paraMe to li.'cal ho-lies. Mr O’lirien was a very sin ee.ssful Chnirnian, and assisted in eroanisino the deputation. It was uutortunate .Mr .Murdoch could not remain lor the actual interview, hut he prepared a lull statement, which was approved hy the I’reliiiiilimy Coul'erenee ol Coiineillors and .Memhers, and .Mr Wells was deputed to read the statement.

It was very linfo.-tunate I,nth p,-r----'finally and otherwise that the deputation cmtld not meet the 111. lion .Mr Massey. Prime Minister and Minister , I l-'iiiaii'-e, owiiie t., i 11dis111e.il ion. \ cry kindly expressions were made as to his speedy recovery, which it i' plea-inn to know is n,,iv in process., llie claims of the loeal hodies are a matter of national finance, and ;is this subject is in Mr Massey's keeping il heroine doubly I! 111 ort 11 na te lh.nl (lie -Monster ni l-i'iance could not he present. And there lias another reason sttil, as linlli .Mr O'hrien and Mr l.anesioiie einpliasisi-d. W’lu-n the timber and Max royalties were apportion ed to the local bodies in I!KIT under ihe Seddoii (lovcrnnieiit, Mr Massey li as in I Ippositimi. and he made a very strone plea lor the local bodies to receive tin- whole and not the hall of tie revenues. Ills remarks are 011 rc- < nrd in Hansard, and they remain today as a very strum} plea for the local bodies to receive justice at the hands of the Coveriimenl of which Mr Mns--t-y is now the directing head.

The debate ol I!Hid is very inlercstiuo as revealing the minds of Miuislers mid m-.-inh-.-rs “eiierallv at the time when tlm legislation mis passed originally, and there i- little dotlhl when the report of the lloyal Connnis-

sioti i> under discussion in the House, extracts I ruin llau-ard uill lie read a. proof 11 hy the Parliament of to-day -lioiild honor ill,- promise- and ioleii--1 lolls of those dills will'll llie revenue relaired to mis earmarked lor llie loeal hodim.

At 1 Ie- d.-pul atii 11 -sir !■'. I). Kell, leader ol the Upper llolt-e. Sir I!. Ili-ati:i If bodes. .Minister m l-'orestry. 11- 11 A. I>. .Mci.eo l. Minister ol lands, tool; the place of the Pil'n,- .Minister, 'ill - statement oil la-half of llie ('Ollll- -- was read and verbally supplemented l-v llie I otinty repre.-:"it at ii e- pr-'-s-eu 1 . ,\li Siaillea. et l':i ■ 1111 ;• ru r 1111

County, ma-le a slroiic ,-ase ter rconiisiderniii.u for the North Maud, in

-I>!«l*!i'tiii'ii 1 to n written siiit,.||'/.|i| lull in l,\ Air !{ln: 1 1 1 A!.l’. |.,i Themes I'i'.l ol lier Xnrlli t> 111 1 Counties. Al--111;' •11u ■ f l! n* siilijni was a.- well venli--1: 1 noil till' e.i'C lor 1i 11 ■ local bodies well a 1111>ii<i<>i| hy I,'els mnl figures reIn 1 lire lii llii' 1 1 ilily i 111 ] 101 lam mallir ellerting |||.. Inline ol local govriil.'Cill. " r I'raih is Dell. in reply, stated lie.l Ihe leiioi't lie I Mot licon coUsidcr--1.1 hy (liivi'imn."it yet. Inn when ii wa - taken up, AI i n i'-l er - umilil have 1 lie advantage ol local lioily ci it ici'-in. Cm eminent would give the repr.'-rn-

laliciis oVel'v eniisiclcralioil. Speaking personally lie I'eitci ateil In-, views cj>eii on Ihe Coast live years ago vrlicn lie agreed that lh' 1 j lie *tio i I ol royalties a- affecting heal hoil'cs hail yd lo lie considcicd. I''oros| ry mailer was a primary (piestion and I lie revenue derived wen I to the Treasury, and any grant t'l lit" local bodies uenld have 10 lie made Ir. 111 llee Treasury. The Slale Km'' Is Depart nielli was lint really murrmed as was ilioiight Generally. It i. trite tile loee.l Imdies illdm ed wardens 1.1 > ranl, timher cullin'.: right s for local revenue purpose-, and it was ml ;u!vi-: 1D!-• i!:at power -In.iild I'emain with the wardens. The eon; rot of limher rut tint; rights heeame n legitimate met ter lor the Forcstrv Department. lie ua- not coti--11 •; ( ■ 1 with this'Depart melil now. hill per-nm'dly lie nave i. as his opinion that p- I'lion of the revenue derived should go to Ihe local Imdies. Sir Heaton I'liodes said lie was plea-ed lo hear ill ■ representation': made which would he helptul wive'!

Cabinet w;i' considering the matter. Stir I'rnueis Del! was the "lather ol the lores! pnliey." and during his (Mr 11ee.ton llhodes) recent indisposition. Si 1 FraUeis had taken eeulrel again , 1 ii.,. Depart mi-lit. As regards llie revenue, as was explained hy Sir j.'je.in is |!i 11. the mailer wa- one lor 1 lie Treasure:'. Hon A. I). Alel.cod said lie saw a

■.mod deal of diiliculty ahead ol the local hollies in the matter of roadinp if the revenue was mil available lor that purpose. 'I lie (pie-1 io’i, however, wa- ipll.side hi- department—it was a matier for the Forestry Department. I’earhing tl'.e negative liosition the deputation closed will) tluinlis to the Ministers Mr their atten.lai:: e. votive veil hy Mr O'ilrien. Mr Well' says, however, that t 1 e po-iiion wa- regarded as hopeful hy the meinher- <0 llie deputation. and when the -id ie' t >' ventilittOtl Hilly 111 Ihe liner 01 the I lease, it is believed the Hovel ament will he move I to 'ome definite line ol at 1 ion which will he more or !<•■»' 'ati'faetory. ....... 1.. .1 -1 .iiiv e

I’D Dl.lt' WOi! KS. Through th- co-operation 01 Air O'ilrien an interview was arranged wiih Mr Coates, Alini-ter of I’uhlie Work-. The Alini-ter rei oived the deputation very cordially and pelletal works mi l procedure w av discussed. The Minister outlined a new policy

regarding future expenditure o! grants. Kimh County will have a certain quota ol the expected amount of public money for expenditure in its district, and lh.' local bodies are to confer and aproe with Hie ID-idem District Engineer as to the allocation of the amount over lie nio-t important works in the County. When the list is agreed to. without waiting for parliamentary appropriation. the local bodies may apply for leave to prepare proposals lor the approved works up to about lit tv per cent of the local quota. These works will he authorised in order..of. urgency, so that the expenditure can go on in

the summer months instead of heio.u carried over to the following year. The scheme is to he tried out this year, and should prove successful. Another very important statement hv the Minister was in regard to the main south road. This now comes under the Highways Hoard, and the .Minister expressed a desire to see the south road put in first class order to carry the traflic of the district without undue reiiiilatioiis or restrictions. He reeoeiiised it was the arterial road for ill-.' .Smith, not served by a railway, and tlie settlers were entitled to a cord road. Mr Contes asked Mr Wells to renter with Mr Eurkert rej'ardiii}' detail of the Highways scheme, for Westland County, hut unfortunately, the lliirluvays Hoard was in session, and il was not possible to see the Kll- - hut matters will lie arranged hy ciirrcspuiideur '. With regard to special "rants asked for hy llie deputation .Mr Conies promised to make empiiry, and if it were possible t" extend the (piotn for the district the works-'would he provided for in order ol lliwncy. Thiotmh the courtesy ol Mr Coates’ officers it was possible to arrange for ilm hulk of the hardwood piles for Knkapolahi bridge. Mr Wells says Mr O’Kricn M.P. made every effort lie could while In Wellington to further the mission of the deputation. The lions Michel and (irimmond also lent very friendly help in reference to dillerout- matters.