DEPUTATION TO THE PROVINCIAL SECRETARY.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 411, 24 November 1868, Page 2

DEPUTATION TO THE PROVINCIAL SECRETARY.

At the last meeting of the Progress Committee, a deputation of the members was appointed to wait upon Mr Greenfield, the Provincial Secretary, who is at present on a visit to Westport. The deputation, consisting of Messrs Alcorn, Humphrey, O'Conor, and Powell, were received by the Secretary in the Court House, on Saturday evening. It was not considered necessary that the deputation should be accompanied by a reporter, but we have received from one of the deputation a few verbal memoranda of the subjects brought under the notice of Mr Greenfield.

The first matter referred to was that of the track to Giles Terrace. The deputation expressed their sentiments of the injustice done to the district by that work not being proceeded with, when money had been voted for the purpose. Mr Greenfield explained that the only difficulty iu the way was the insuperable one that the Government had not got the money. He staled that he was at present on a tour for the purpose of ascertaining the wants of the different districts, and he would examine the track in question, among other requirements of the district, and lay these before the Executive. The deputation informed Mr Greenfield that there was a good track to the Caledonian, and he was understood to explain that, independent of the money remaining from that special work, there was a certain amount of money which could be allotted to tracks in that direction, but the money, like the rest, was not available in consequence of the deficiency in the amount to be received from the General Government.

The deputation referred to the necessity for tracks in the Buller Valley. It was represented that the resources of the Upper Buller were becoming daily of more important consideration, aud that the Nelson Province was losing a great deal of the revenue from the fact of there being no communication with Westport, a wide extent of the country in that neighborhood being supplied from Grcymouth. £4OOO had been voted for the Buller Valley road, but not a shilling had been expended, and the part of the road -which had been previously made was useless. Mr Greenfield gave the same explanation, with regard to this matter, as he had given with reference to others. The Government had not the money, and public works had been stopped, not only in this district, but in the Nelson part of the Province. The deputation complained of the illiberality of the Government in contributing only £3 per chain towards the construction of temporary protective works on the river bank. Mr Greenfield said that that was a mistake. The Government, when telegraphed to, had authorised the expenditure of £SO for the purpose.

Attention was drawn to the fact of no writ having been issued for the election of a successor to Mr Smith in the Provincial Council. Mr Greenfield stated that he had himself brought down the writ, but Dr Giles found that it did not contain the names of the polling places at the Caledonian or at Addison's Plat, and that it was necessary that the writ should be returned.

The deputation referred to the subject of the Mount Eochfort coal-field. Mr Greenfield stated the Government were willing to lease it—to dispose of it for private enterprise ; and it was his conviction that, sooner or later, either the Government or private individuals would take it in hand. Mr Greenfield coincided with the deputation in the opinion that there was a very marked improvement in the town and the district of Westport. He saw evidences of rapidly increasing prosperity.