PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. SATURDAY, JULY 16, 1881. A PUBLIC COMMITTEE.

Patea Mail, 16 July 1881, Page 2

PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. SATURDAY, JULY 16, 1881. A PUBLIC COMMITTEE.

Some local machinery is needed, such as a Public Committee, for seizing opportunities as they arise, and especially for acting at short notice, on behalf of the Patoa District, Sometimes a Minister passing through the district may be interviewed on some subject which has been discussed in public meeting and been relegated to a Committee. Often a 'Committee could carry some local agitation to an issue by following it up till the object is attained. Generally a Committee would be useful as a vigilant body watching the course of public affairs, and striking in at the right moment on behalf of the district. Such a body might exercise a useful care, without meddling injudiciously; for the authority of a Public Committee would carry weight in any representations made in its name, while no part of the Committee would be competent to act without the sanction of the whole body. When any fresh matter of public interest arose, the Committee could consider how action should be taken in accordance with public desire—whether a public meeting should be summoned to consider and sanction a particular course on the question. Where a public meeting authorised the Committee to pursue a certain object, the Committee might find many ways of promoting that end ; and the chief value of such a body would be that it could act at short notice, without everybody waiting for somebody else to move. A Public Committee might achieve important objects in a quiet way. It should be so constituted as to ensure the largest amount of public confidence, and should be free from all suspicion of party bias. Its members could be nominated at a public meeting; and the same meeting could carry resolutions on public questions of local concern, these resolutions being a standing instruction as to the objects which the Committee should carry out. When any important matter arose on which public opinion had not

been expressed by resolution, the Committee could do good service by promptly calling a public meeting. The actions of the Committee from time to time would cause increased local interest in public affairs. One obvious objection would be that such a Committee might exceed its instructions, or pursue injudicious courses. Probably the case would be sufficiently met at present by appointing a Public Committee to carry out specific objects delegated to them by . a public meeting. The Cpmmittee to be appointed this evening, for instance, might receive a general authority to carry out the objects for which the public meeting is convened, and it should equally be the function of the Committee to take action from time to time, especially daring the Session, to attain the end desired. The agitation for opening local lands should not die out after the mere sending of a telegram to Ministers, The effort to secure County representation should be followed up until the Representation Bill has settled the question. The fixing of a Railway route so as to bring the main line to this seaport would be an important object for the Committee to pursue by various means till attained. After the public meeting has done its part, the work of the Committee begins.