West Coast Times TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26,1867.

West Coast Times, Issue 704, 26 December 1867, Page 2

West Coast Times TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1867.

Although the delay in the arrival of His Excellency Sir George Boweu will cause the unavoidable postponement of the issue of the Proclamations aud Orders in Council (which are already prepared) for bringing the Westland Act into actual operation, it will be satisfactory to the public to be made acquainted with' the -nature of the arrangements 'which have been determined on by the Government. We are glad to be in a position to satisfy public curiosity on some points on which great interest will naturally be felt.

The Hon. John Hall is to be the Chairman of the Council, to act during its fir3t sittings or " session." We believe it is Mr Hall's intention to reach Hokitika as soon as the Westland proclamations aro issued.

The Chairman of the County Council will have a casting-vote in case of an equality of votes — but not an original vote.

The elections for the County Council will come off before those for the Road Boards. The exact dates of election will be fixed by the Returning Officers. Mr FitzGerald will be appointed Returning Officer for the town of Hokitika and the district of Westland, and Mr Revell for the town of Greymouth. Early dates will probably bo fixed for the elections, as it is, wo believe, the wish of the Government that the County Council should actually meet before the end of January.

The Westland " District" will not be divided, but will elect its four " Country Members" as one constituency. This arrangement is not, we believe, considered by the Government the most; desirable, but the language of the Act appears to render it imperative.

There will be polling places, however, for the "District," at Hokitika, Greymouth, Rutherglen, Waimea, Stafford Town, Chesterfield, Big Paddock, Kanieri, Ross, Donoghue's and Okarita, so that the electors in every part of tho district will have the opportunity of recording their votes.

Nominally, electoral rolls will have to be formed for these districts, but practically this operation will consist in the adoption of the existing rolls for the piu-pose, and need not therefore give rise to any delay. In addition to persons on the " Electoral Roll," all persons entitled to vote at ordinary elections in virtue of miners' rights or business licenses, will be entitled to vote, or to be elected, for the County Council.

We understand that the first meeting of the County Council will be appointed to be held in the Court House, Hokitika. The 21st of January was originally fixed by the Government as the first day of meeting, but under the circumstances a few days delay will probably take place. Subsequent times and places of meeting will be fixed by the Council itself, which, subject to the provision we have named as to the casting vote of the Chairman, will be empowered to frame its own Standing Orders.

The delegation of powers under the Goldfields Act to the Superintendent of the Province of Canterbury, will of course become void on the creation of

the County of Westland. Tho delegation under the Marine and Diseased Cattle Acts will, so far as regards Westland, be revoked. Such of these powers as it may be considered necessary to rodelegaU 1 , will be vested in Mr Hall, whilst acting as the Chairman of the Council.

The following Road Districts will be created, independently of the town of Hokitika, which — being an existing municipality — will, of course, not be interfered with.: — 1. The Grey District— to comprise all the countc^Jiiorth of the Tercmakuu, including the town of Greymouth. 2. The^j^rabura District — to comprise the country between tho Teremakau and the Hokitika Rivers, exclusive of course of the town of Hokitika.

3. The Totara District — to comprise the country between the Hokitika and Mauganut Rivers, with Ross as its centre.

4. The Okarita District — to comprise all that part of the country south of the Manganui River.

In this arrangement it is evident that the object of the Government — or rather of Mr Hall, with whom, we can understand, the whole matter has rested — has been to avoid the mischief of making the districts either too large or too small, and to group together those parts of the country which have a general identity of interests in the matter of roads and public works.

The Returning Officers for the Iload Districts are to appoint the necessary polling-places, aud to hold the elections within six weeks from the Ist January. The voting qualification for the electiou of members of the Road Boards is to be the ordinary one, with this qualification — that every voter must have resided two months, and must still bo residing, within the district. It would, of course, be obviously absurd to allow mere " passers through" a district to vote for its Public Works Board, merely in virtue of their holding a miners right, as the questions to be disposed of by the Board will be purely of a local character, and should be left to be dealt with by persons who are honajide residents in the locality.

Tho District Boards will have the right of appointing their own chairman, and, after the first meeting, of fixing their own times and places of meeting. They will also make their own Standing Rules and Orders.

Ouch, we believe, is the substance of the more import int of the provisions contained in the proclamations, which will be issued immediately on the arrival of his Excellency Sir George Bowen. There are other documents, of course, dealing with details necessary in carrying out an entirely new system of administration ; but the explanations we have been enabled to afford sufficiently outline the future institutions of Government for the County.

We congratulate Mr Hall upon thu discretion and sound judgment, which have led him to determine on accepting in his own person the first Chairmanship of tho County Couucil. Wo assure him that his nomination to this office will bis received with universal satisfaction throughout the district, and will be regarded as a guarantee of the sincerity and fairness of purpose with which the Government intend to carry out tho Westland County Act. We hnve said throughout that the value of this Act to us will depend entirely upon the spirit in which it is interpreted ; and we arc bound to give Mr Hall the credit of a manifestly sincere wish to give it popular effect. The regulation which gives the Chairman of the County Council a casting "vote," without an original vote, removes amultitude of doubts which have long troubled the public mind as to what the functions and powers of the Council were really to be. It is now settled that the Chairman is to be their executive officer, to carry out their decisions, and not as some have told us the actual ruler of the County, with the power of consulting his Council and accepting or discarding their advice as he pleased. So long as Mr Hall remained Chairman we would be disposed to leave very large powers in his hands. But his occupancy of this office will only be temporary, and in view of the appointment of a successor it i 3 very satisfrctory indeed to have the system under which he will act defined.

When Mr Hall conies amongst us in his official capacity as the first Chairman of tho County Council of Westland, he will deserve to be well received. To him we are mainly indebted for the Act under which we shall on "Wetlnes-

day next become Separated from East Canterbury; and we are more than doubly indebted to him for the practical interpretation given to that Act at his instigation — an interpretation which renders it in fact and substance a gift of self-government to the district.

A telegram in the Christchurch papers of Tuesday states " The Duke of Edinburgh comes direct from Sydney to Wellington. The Com jodoro's ship will precede him.

Yesterday, Christmas Day, aftor the Church services, passed off in quiet enjoymeat. There were no drunken men to be seen reeling about the streets — in fact, the orderly manner in which tho day was spent was highly creditable to the population of Westland. To-day is Boxing-day, aud to-day the sports commence. For the lovera of aquatics the regatta will furnish great attraction. Thoss who feel an interest in athletic and gymnastic feats will do well to attend tho games to be held in Weld street, North Eevell street, Gibson's Quay, and Stafford street. A pantomime, " Gulliver on his Travels," will be produced at the Prince of Wales Opera House, in the afternoon, and will be repeated in the evening. A grand ball will take place at the City Theatre, so that from morn to late at night there will bo no lack of amusement.

Tho Christchurch. coach arrived in town last night at a quarter to ten, bringing the Westland portion of the English Mail, and Messrs Hursh and Jameson booked through, and one wayside passenger. The road is reported to bo in good condition. Tho coach left Christchurch at nino o'clock on Tuesday night, and thus accomplished tho journey through iv about twenty-four hours.

The grand ball at tho City Theatre ou Christmas Ere was numerously attendod, and was a complote success. Doimling's quadrille band was in attendance, and to most excellent music dancing was kept up with great spirit until tho groy light of morning, pooping iv, warned the votaries of terpsichore that it was time to depart to their houses. Anot'ier grand ball will bo held this evening, whiclu considering tho festive season, will doubtless be numerously attended.

Tho Hokitika and Greymouth Tramway Company havo made arrangements to run their carnages from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., in place of till G p.m., as formerly ; and from half-past 10 a.m. to half-past 5 p.m. carriages will run from both ends of tho lino every half-hour — thus offering tho citizens of Hokitika every coi'venience for taking a trip to tho country to enjoy a pic-nic on the banks of the Arahura, or for our country fr,cnds visiting the regatta, the races, and gamos and sport 3, which commence to-day.