West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 1866.

West Coast Times, Issue 229, 13 June 1866, Page 2

West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 1866.

Gueymouth has taken the start of Hokitika in initiating a movement for the representation of tho district in tho Provincial Council. Wo have the' re-

port beforo us of ait adjourned meeting, held on Saturday evening last,' at which it appears, there was a large and influential attendance of electors and others. The Improvement Committee have taken action in tho matter, and definite proposals have been submitted by a gentleman of undoubted ability, to serve the district as its representative, on certain conditions. The conditions are, that ho shall receive an honorarium of LlO por week for his services, in addition to the defrayment of his actual expenses whilst attending the Session of Council.

Jf -we mistake not, this is the first timo in New Zealand in which tho work of a legislator has been openly offered to be done at a fixed price. And wo confess honestly that we do not like the look of it. Great differences of opinion prevail on the general question of the payment of representatives. As a rule, it has failed to find favor in the adjoining colonies. In the case of New Zealand, the custom has beon established of making provision for the defrayment of the actual expenses of members, commuted to a liberal daily allowance, and for tho payment of travelling charges. Some treason may undoubtedly be found for this, in the scattered character of the popu lotio, and the distance at which many of the districts lie from tho seat of legislation. At a timo when few facilities for travelting existed in Victoria, and when there was little comfortable accomodation to bo had in Melbourne, a building was erected at the expense of the Government, to servo as the domicile during the session of Council of country members, who had thus free quarters ; although not freo allowances.

To the system of tho payment of members by actual salary or fee, beyond the measure of their necessary expenses, which aro already guaranteed by tho existing law, it appears to us that many strong objections He, especially if the payment is provided for by public subscription voluntarily raised, and liable, therefore, to be capriciously withdrawn. It may bo a sound .principlo to affix a settled salary to bo paid out of local rates, to the office of a public representative; although we confess even that would bo very repugnant to our own ideas of the conditions on which an office should be held, which is almost invariably canvassed for, and always accepted as a gift bestowed by popular favor. But once elected, tho man who drew his fixed emolument by law from the public revenue, would at least bo independent ps long as his tenure of office continued. A member supported by voluntary subscriptions, or the promise of them, and depending upon their annual renewal, cannot, wo consider be hold to occupy a position of political independence. Much less can he be said to do so whose parliamentary emoluments are derived from any band of privato patrons.

Wo arc sorry tho occasion has arisen for those remarks, becauso tho gentleman who has offered his services to the

Groymouth electors " on terms," is one who would bo eminently qualified to represent the district well, and whose return wo should hail as a valuable accession to tho strength of Westland in tho Provincial Council, but for ono circumstance, viz., his avowed prcdilectioii'for the annexation of the country north of tho Teremakau to tho Province of Nelson. We believe this wo\ild bo a very severe blow to the interests of Westland, and should prefer to sec some man elected for the Grey who would steadily support the maintenance of the unity of the district. These are circumstances, however, altogether apart from tho question we have raised.

Tho general feeling of tho Greymouth meeting appeared to be in favor of the election of an " independent man" — meaning by that term, a man who would decline to receive any publio subsidy Ono speaker proposed, that if no independent candidate could bo induced to enter the field, they should appoint a committee to gather' the necessary funds, aud added, " If the money were first collected, thoy would find a great many more gentlemen coming forward to represent them ;" and the hit told well. Throughout, there was a strong disposition to distinguish, between the man who accepted allowances from his constituents, and tho "independent" man. In this circumstance thoro is no little significance. Very much of a member's political prestige in the Legislative, depends upon his freedom from all taint of suspicion as to his being actuated by interested motives. It ia with no wish, however, to .inter 1 fero with the entire freedom of action of the Greymouth electors that wo write. Circumstances may dictate to them the necessity of a departure from a principlo which we must maintain to be sound. It may be of more importance to thorn to be well and ably represented on tho conditions proposed, than to return any gentleman whose time and energies will "tiot be ontirely at their service. At all events we trust that Groymouth, to which only one member has been assigned, will add an element of strength tp the Westland party in the Provincial Council.