THE PROPOSALS FOR A NEW COUNTY, RAILWAY DEVIATION, AND RESTRICTING CHINESE IMMIGRATION.

Kumara Times, Issue 876, 22 July 1879, Page 2

THE PROPOSALS FOR A NEW COUNTY, RAILWAY DEVIATION, AND RESTRICTING CHINESE IMMIGRATION.

■ —< PUBLIC MEETINGS. [Continued from yesterday's issue.] Mr R. J. Seddon continued : as the engineers had to attain an elevation in the Hope Pass for the East Coast railway of 3000 ft., the argument of Mr O'Connor that he could not surmount 300 ft. was a very poor one. The District Engineer, in carrying out his railway line, wanted to make a straight one, so that it would look well on his plan* ; he could not afford to consider the wishes of the people. At the present time there were, 60 horses engaged between Hokitika and Kiimara carrying freight, and yet when this beach line was made the same means as now would have to be adopted, as who was going to forward goods to the Teiemakau (should the beach line be constructed to Kumara) for conveyance to GokUborough or Stafford Town? A beach line to Goldsborough and Kumara meant two additional locomotives, at £2OOO each, six ext-a men at least, and 16 mile of railway to construct, as against nine miles of deviation. .'. As instances of good engineering on the Coast, lie might mention the Wairuea water-race which was estimated at £45,000 and cost £120,000, and then the contractor had to show the Engineer the mute and very little of the work was constructed on the line laid out, as Mr Smith pointed out where he could go through solid ground instead of fiuming, which was adopted; and the pipes for this work were now useless in Hokitika. At Greymouth they put in silt for the protection works until, like sensible people, the inhabitants would stand it no longer and the engineer had to be stopped in this absurd proceeding. The Brunnerton bridge dropped into the river the day before it was to be opened .with great ceremony, and they imported he believed a diver from Melbourne to look for it. This was nothing but the engineer's fault, but yet they dismissed an unfortunate draughsman in the Wellington office, who drew out the plans of the work, as somebody had to be sacrificed. After these, instances of official blundering who would believe that engineers' opinion were infallible 1 When seeking election to the County Council, he had pledged himself to the ratepayers that, if elected, he would advocate the merging of the Arahura Road Beard. He had brought a motion forward to that effect nearly twelve months ago, and eventually a conferance took place between some memof the Council and the Board. At this conference it was resolved that should the ratepayers of the district by pefci-

tioii request the merging of the Council would givo effect to their wishes. A petition at a cost of £2O was sent round the district, and the majority of the ratepayers .signed it ; but the Council then wanted n deed drawn out with the names of all creditors, signifying that they would accept payment of their account at different dates. This was also done, the dped was prepared, and signed by the creditors, the accouuts were audited by the County Auditor, and the Secretary of the Board made a sworn declaration before a magistrate, of their correctness. Previously, however, to the matter coming on in the Council for discussion s he was prevailed upon by the members stating that they intended to merge the Board, to move the striking of a rate in the Arahura district, which resolution was carried. After this, and in the face of the members pledging themselves to merge the Board, when a resolution to that effect were brought on, they objected, on the grounds of their solicitors opinion, and the only thiee votes recorded in favour of tho resolution were those of the members of this district. The West Coast Times naturally supported the Council, as it received £3OO a year for printing and advertising; and although, when tenders were called recently for this work, and Mr Klein's ten der was a shilling an inch less than the West Coast Times, the highest was accepted. The Council voted £25 for turning a sod on the Hokitika railway line; and as this was not sufficient, they very liberally gave another £3O of the ratepayers' money; but they (the Council) would probably hear more of the sod business, as Mr Button had given an opinion that the money could not be legally appropriated for that purpose, and any ratepayer could take proceedings against the members of the Council, and compel them to refund the amount. Owing to the action of the Council, hia' colleagues and himself had called these meetings, to represent the matter to their constituents; and should the ratepayers be satisfied with their action, they would endorse the resolution submitted at the. meeting.

Mr M fc Whirtev, after the long explanation of Mr Seddon had given y •would only touch lightly on tho various ■MibjecK He thought they ought to strengthen the hands of their representatives in the House on the restriction of Chinese immigration, by a numer-ously-signed petition. The railway if made aloug the beach, would be a great injury to the district generally, and he thought it very strange, that the engineer reported that the ; railway was literally useless, unless continued on to Ross. The deviation would make a difference of nine miles in a line that, when completed to the Ea3t Coast and Dunediu, would he 500 miles long. With regard to the new County, he might say that if it had not been for the extraordinary action of the County Council in this matter, they would not have had -to address the ratepayers on the subject. The West Coast Times had said that representatives of the district had done more harm than good for their constituents. Well, if figbtingthe battle of the ratepayers was meant he must plead guilty. He thoroughly endorsed the remarks of Mr Seddon, as to the way they had been treated, more especially by that paragon of sincerity, Mr Jack, whose only thoughts at present were the construction of new Council Chambers. This gentleman had distinctly promised to vote for the merging, and then turned round at the last moment. He (the speaker) could conscientiously say that he had not a farthing's pecuniary interest in the merging of the Board, but supported the resolution in the interests of the ratepayers. He considered the creditors of the Board should be paid ; and although he did not like throwing over other districts just because this district happened to be in flourishing circumstances, still, if they could not get justice at the hands of the Council, the ratepayers would have to form a new County.

Mr Sandle thoroughly endorsed all said by the previous speakers in regard to the action of the County Council. He considered the people had a bounden right to the deviation, and he trusted they would make their voices heard ou the matter in Parliament. The deviation had been referred to Mr Blair, to report on, and he would doubtless refer it to Mr O'Connor, who would say again that it was impractical.

Mr Grimmond (Chairman of the Westland County CouncilWymsidered that this district had been very fairly dealt with by the Council, and it bad not been called on to pay a single penny in rates. It was not his place to endeavour to influence the ratepayers, but it was his duty as head of the Council to tell them that £9,400

had been laid out in the district the last financial yar, svhile ali the remaining districts only had £3,500 expended on them. He thought they Wanted less government t.nd better men. If they placed th« same persons in power that held the , e ns of government in the Arahura Jioad Board, how would that improve their position 1 A lot of cheques had been given by the Arahura Road Board, but the Council were not satisfied with tiie account. The liabilities had increased since the first proposal to merge the Board, and the Council found that the benefits of taking over the Board would be nil. Any matter brought forward by the residents of this district always received his attention; £5,400 has been ex pended in six months. He believed the majority of the peoj>lo were in favor of the Board being taken over by the Council in a legitimate manner. He was of opinion that one governing body in Westland was suficient to carry on the business fairly and honestly. Mr Dale strongly endorsed the opinion of the County Chairman in regard to a new County. He (the speaker) had objected to the merging of the Board on the ground of two items— Whelan's contract and Byrne's compensation, nnd he considered they should be Struck oil' the list. He could assure them they would not pay a double rate. Mr Dnngan, who supported the railway deviation and Chinese immigration questions, objected to the formation of a new County, and also to the remarks made by Mr Seddon about the Engineer's veracity. Messrs Cuming, Bladier, and Lang also spoke on the Various questions, and Mr Seddon, when replying, publicly a-ked the Chairman if tlie £2700 granted by the Government as a flood vote, and expended at the Arahitia river, was not included in the £5400 :• spoken of by the chairman in his address as having been spent in the district which the County Chairman acknowledged. In reference to the remark of Mr Dale that he would have agreed to the merging if certain items were, struck out, a resolution of the -Council was read showing that the item complained, of Mr Seddon bad actually moved should be struck off the . liabilities of the Board. ' . Resolutions affirming.the desirability bf taking action on all the matters . before the meetings were carried in all • instances.