WESTPORT PROGRESS COMMITTEE.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 454, 19 January 1869, Page 2

WESTPORT PROGRESS COMMITTEE.

COUNTY SEPAEATION. At the last meeting of the Progress Committee, there was read some correspondence on the subject of Separation from Nelson, and, on the motion of Mr O'Conor, a sub-commitee has been appointed to prepare a statement of the reasons there are for separation, and for the establishment of the district as a county. We now report the conversation which took place in connection with the correspondence and the motion in question. The Ciiatrman (Mr Tyler) said that when he first thought of the subject, he dreaded the probability of local jealousies arising. It was a great pity that these local feelings should militate against a general public advantage, for there could be no doubt that there would be great advantage accruing to the district if it were converted into a county. It was not necessary, in seeking separation, that we should have any particular feelings antagonistic t-> the Nelson Government. Even if we wanted to bring forward grievances, We were in a very good position to do so. We had only to think for a moment how utterly inadequate to the requirements of the district was the expenditure of public moneys. Probably quite as much had been voted for the district as the district was en-

titled to, but they all knew tliat, this year, a very small amount of what had been votted had been expended. There had only been £25,000 voted, which was a very small sum compared with what had been voted for the rest of the Province, and of that amount a very small portion had been expended. That was, iu itself, a sufficient reason for the district seeking separation. It was not to be expected that, under present eircumstauces, the district .vould receive its fair proportion of expenditure. When we took into consideration the fact that the Government was situated at a distance from the district, and was indiifereutly acquainted with its wants, no other condition of things could well be expected. Moreover the interests of Nelson were of a different class from ours. Ours was a thoroughly mining community. Theirs was more pastoral and mercantile. But whatever were their interests—whether they were diverse or similar —we could not disguise the fact that they endeavored to bolster up INelson, and to aggrandise to ils advantage the revenues which they received. It was bat reasonable to sappose that they should do so, inasmuch a3 the great majority of the Council are elected from that part of the Province. It could not but be expected that they would do the best they could for Nelson and its vicinity. There were reasons which should naturally occur to any one why we should petition for separation, and there could be no question that it would be a general advantage to the district, and not au advantage onlyto one particular part of it. The Committee were aware that part of Canterbury had petitioned for separation, and the inhabitants of that part had certainly great reason for doing so, for they were greatly neglected. Here we had not such strong grounds as the inhabitants of Westland bad, because we had for a time received more consideration from the Nelson Government. But this was brought about principally by the sction of the Commissioner of the Goldfields, Mr Kynnersley. We had simply to thank him for all that had been done. When roads were made here, he had undertaken them by his own authority, and, notwithstanding that he got into considerable trouble, he was determined the money should be spent in the district, and, notwithstanding the rebuffs he met with, he persisted in carrying out his determination. If it were not for his action iu the matter, we should not have had the money expended as it had been. So that we had not altogether to thank the Nelson Government, but rather Mr Kynnersley. During the last year, Mr Kynnersley had been very much more hampered. Mr Curtis apparently acted with more determination than Mr Saunders, and with less desire to promote the development of the West Coast. Mr Kynnersley's powers were taken away to such an extent that he was not able to spend anything at all till he obtained sanction to do so. Under these circumstances, although we might not have such cause of complaint as AVestland had, we had to thank the Nelson Government for nothing. He believed rather that, if it had not been for Mr Kynnersley, we should have good grounds for complaint. Since he left, there had been a total stoppage of works, and although there was greater necessity for urgent expenditure of money, nothing whatever had been done. Three or four months had elapsed since river works were rendered necessary by floods, and all they knew was that reports had been sent in by the Provincial Engineer and Lieutenant Woods, and these had been sent to Mr Balfour. Probably in other twelve months the Government would begin to think about doing something. That was, at all events, one particular case in which money should be expended, and it had not been. There was then the Buller track. Westport and its district greatly depended upon what might be discovered there, but it was impossible to get the Government to make a track. If Mr Kynnersley were here, and had the same power as he had under Mr Saunders, he believed that track would be in a different state from what it has been, and so would the river bank. But Nelson had evidently set its face against this place, and sought its own aggrandisement. They voted large sums of money for docks, and for preliminary expenses connected with a railway from Nelson to Cobden All these things should open our eyes, and show to us that they did not look after our interests as we should do ourselves. But supposing they had done so, the inequality of representation formed a fair subject of complaint. He found that, according to the census, the population of this Province in 1864 was 13,000. In 1867 the population had doubled. At the former period there was scarcely a living soul in this portion of the Province, or the probabilities were that they were not included in the census at all. In 1867 the population was 23,000, and of that number 10,000 were iu this district. What representation had we in the Provincial Council"? He believed the Provincial Council numbered some twenty-five members. If we were represented according to population, we should have twelve members instead of five. Had we adequate representation ? The Provincial Council had the administration of the greater pbrtion of the revenue, and we should have an equal Voice in its appropriation. Instead of that, we had by no means a fair share of representation. This was a state of things which should be remedied. If there was to be a con-.

tinuancc of tbo Provincial form of Government, and we were to continue a part of Nelson, we should certainly have increased representation. The present state of things was most undesirable. Although there were circumstances which gave a small number very great power in any body, this was not the case in the Nelson Provincial Council. In Canterbury it was different, and it was in the power of the West Coast members, by a certain exercise of their votes, to put in anv party they chose. It was not so iii Nelson. Here there was no political feeling; it seemed to be more playing at parliament than anything else ; and our members were utterly useless. This was of itself a grievance. Put supposing we had no grievance, and had our full share of the revenue, still if we were of opinion that another form of government would be more suitable to us, we should not wait for grievances. It seemed to him that if we had a Couuty Council, having the control of our own moneys, they would be more economically and advantageously expended than they could be by a Government at a distance knowing very little of the district. The principal object in establishing a County would be the proper administration of the revenue. First of all, if retrenchment were desirable, it would be better carried out < bv those who are resident in the lo- : cality than by those at a distance. I Then as a mining population locally 1 resident, we should have a better knowledge of the requirements of the district than they could have at Nel- i son, and there would be no delay in < communicating with Nelson. There i was a variety of reasons why we should seek separation, and a County in this < district would be launched under very i favourable circumstances indeed, be- i cause in the apportionment of the ) debt due to the Province, the district 1 would certainly be entitled to its ( proportion. j Mr O'Conor: It would go a long way , of itself to develope the resources of a the country. I The Chairman : And its resources 1 are great. We have gold from end to t end of the Coast, and two of the best coalfields in the colony. It is a great < pity that we do not receive the assis- ( tance and co-operation of the other : parts of the district. It will become i a question whether we should not go '. in for a small county. 1 Mr Alcobn : To my mind there is < no doubt about the advantages. Mr O'Conor thought that, to put : the matter in shape, a statement of 1 the necessities and the advantages of f separation should be prepared -by the - Chairman, Mr Alcorn, and the Secret tary, and addressed to the bodies which f had already been written to. ( The Chairman was rather surprised 1 that the local Press had not yet taken f more notice of the matter. If it were i to present all the arguments in favor ] of separation it would prepare men's minds for the discussion of the subject. Mr O'Conor had no doubt that the organ of public opinion in this district would advocate separation, but he thought they should do something themselves as well as the papers. For i his own part, he would rather see ' Westland North amalgamating with ; Westland than that the district ' should remain as it is. We should ' have a more equal expenditure, and a i more satisfactory state of things generally, by combination with such a community as our own than with such a community as that of Nelson. Mr Alcorn : It would, no doubt, be preferable. The Chairman said it appeared the people of the Grey district were in favor of the idea, but they wished to make Greymouth or Cobden the centre. Mr O'Conor did not care where the head-quarters were chosen. The question at the present time was separation. We could well leave the naming of the capital till another time. He would rather see Greymouth the capital than have it as it is at present. The capital was only the place where the Council would meet, and he would rather see it meet in Charleston or Greymouth than remaiu as we were. Unfortunately it was on that point that short-sighted views were taken. It was fancied that it would be all to the advantage of Westport, whereas the value could not fail to be general and equally apportioned throughout the district. Mr O'Conor's suggestion that the subject should be referred to a subcommittee was agreed to, and the ineetiug was adjourned.