The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 1871.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 824, 13 June 1871, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 1871.

A supplementary mail via San Francisco was dospatched.by tho steamer Kennedy early yesterday morning. Tho packages were made up for Auckland so that, in the event of the Kennedy falling- in with the s.s. Ahuriri carrying the southern mails to Anckland, they might be transhipped at sea. We learn that tho Ahuriri was not ikely to leave Nelson until to-day. The Bank of New Zealand, Wcstport, shippod by the steamer M urray for Hokitika, on Sunday, 14120z 7dwt 4gr of gold, the export duty upon which amounted to JCI7G 10s lid.

Dr Giles, accompanied by constable Temperly, left Wcstport for Reefton early yesterday morning. He will bold a bitting of the Warden's Court there on Wednesday, and one at Christy's, Inangahua, on Thursday. Aii Inangahua boatman, Peter Williams, is having one of tho cargo boats altered so as to admit of ite being towed up the river by means of a horse. The substitution of horse power for that of men in conveying the boats up the Buller and Inangahua rivers will doubtless be tho means of greatly reducing the present rate of freight. The Abyssinian well recently sunk at the intersection of Kennedy and Molesworth street has not yet been tested by the Brigade, owing to the inclemency of the weather since its construction, l'he Well appears, however, to deliver a copious supply of water. We notice by advertisement that Messrs M'Gregor and Campbell aro p.epared to sink a limited number of wells at £7 10s each.'

Yesterday Mr Jno. Munro submitted to auction at the Sale Yards, South Spit, the cargo of cattle and sheep ex Wallabi from Wanganui. 57 head of cattle and 150 sheep were disposed of. The bidding was spirited and good prices were realised, the cattle averaging 403 per hundred, and sheep 18s to 23s according to quality.

Considerable encroachment has been made by the sea, at the rear of Gladstonestreet, during the rough weather which has prevailed during the past week. Between Freeman and l'ahnerston streets, the waves have cut a face of fully three feet into a very much older formation of soil, than has hitherto been disturbed by the sea in tho vicinity of Wcstport, Roots and stumps of trees are now laid bare, evidencing tho lengthened period that must have elapsed since a similar encroachment had taken place.

The wire-ropo for the punt upon the Buller river arrived by tho Cores. The punt is at present lying in the lagoon awaiting Mr Langdon's arrival from Greymouth, when the process of stretching the line will be proceeded with. We believe that the site is not yet fixed upon, but that it is likely to cross the river opposite to the upper groin.

A very useful instrument in the shape of a crane has been constructed by Messrs M'Leod and Atkinson, wharfingers, upon the Bright street wharf. It will prove a great convenience to the boatmen in transhipping heavy packages &»r Charleston. We remind our readers that after to-day and to-morrow, the salo of Mr Salomon's jewelry will terminate, as he purposes proceeding to Charleston on Thursday. We have previously referred to the elegance of design and general excellence of this selection of jewelry and bijouterie, and can only add that the exhibition is well deserving a visit.

The s.s. Rangitoto was duo in llokitika yesterday with tho Suez mail. She will probably arrive to-day. Mr Blackect, Colonial Engineer, i 3 expected to visit Westport by tho steamer Charles Edward arriving to-morrow. Mr W. N. Blair, C.E., has been appointed a District Engineer under tho Immigration and Public Works Act, 1870, the appointment to date from the Ist May. The '' Wellington Independent" says that it has tho best authority for stating that I>.e date for the meeting of the Assembly is not yet fixed. A four-weekly mail service, by way of San Francisco, has been arranged for to alternate with Mr Webb's line. The s.s. City of Adelaide will leave Sydney for San Francisco on the Ist. July, calling at Fiji and Honolulu. Upon the same date a steamer will leave Auckland for Fiji, and meet the City of Adelaide there. • To give our readers some idea of the increase of the mail service via San Francisco during tho short time the mails have been forwarded by that route, we may mention that the English mail, lately arrived by the p.s. Nebraska, contained 372 pounds weight of letters and 9187 pounds weight of newspapers and other printed matter, besides the local American and San Francisco mails.

In connection with the roportcd loss of the Queen of the Thames, the following telegram from oydncy, published in our issue of tho 14th April last, may be read with interest at the present time. —" The Byron sighted a large steamer, supposed to bp the Queen of the Thames, on the Ist March, in lat, 35deg. S, long. 97deg. 39min. E. She was sailing fast at the time." She was then, therefore, about 20 degrees west of Cape Leuwin, and in nearly the same latitude. We may also mention here that the Queen of the Thames was a vessel of 2607 tons register, her dimensions being—length, 336 ft; breadth of beam, 41 ft; and depth of hold, 31ft. Her engines, which were on the compound principle, were of 400 horse-power. She was built by Messrs Napier and Sons, the well-known Glasgow shipbuilders, and was launched at Govan in September last. She made her maiden voyage to Melbourne in between fifty and sixty days, and was on her return voyage to London, when her loss is reported to have occurred. She was fitted with all the bjst modern appliances, and her passenger accommodation is said to have been splendid. She was commanded by Captain Macdonald, who is spoken of as a careful and accomplished navigator. The Victorian Census returns give a total of 400,000 males and 327,000 females.

MB O'CONOB'S MEETING. A public meeting took place on Saturday evening, at the Masonic Hall, Westport, for the purpose of hearing Mr 0 Conor's address to the constituency relative to the doings of the late session of the Provincial Council, and the action taken by him in its proceedings. There was a large attendance, though from the fact of the meeting being held on Saturday, the majority of the business and tradespeople were prevented from attending. The chair was taken at eight o'clock punctually, by Mr Munro, who briefly introduced the member, expressing his satisfaction in presiding over such a meeting, and affirming the propriety of a representative, either prior to his going to a deliberative assembly or shortly after his return, meeting the constituents, and rendering an account of his actions. There was one trait in the character of the member whose address they had come to hear which called forth admiration, and that was his perfect readiness to meet his constituents, and listen to any opinion that mijdit bo passed upon matters t f public importance. Ho did not shrink from the responsibility of meeting the electors. Ho (Mr Munro) could not but feel regret that their other member,, when visiting Westport a few days back, had not thought fit to give his constituents a similar opportunity of expressing their opinion upon his actions during the Provincial Council sittings. Without further notice he would introduce Mr O'Conor to the meeting, and he need scarcely rt quest that they would accord him a patient and attentive hearing. Mr O'Conor, who on rising was received with applause, said: Mr Chairii an and Gentlemen, after the remarks which have fallen from Mr Munro, it will be needless for mo to preface mine at any great length. My motive in asking you to meet me to-night is, in the first place, to furnish you with my views of the position of the Province as a whole, and of this district in particular. I also desire to embrace every opportunity to cultivate a perfect understanding and feeling of confidence between this constituency and myself. I am not here to impugn the action of any other member, but to explain my own. I desire also to awaken, if possible, some public spirit among you, which, while it will induce you to closely criticise the action of your representatives, will also encourage their zeal, and support them in guarding your interests. I mean to dwell upon the main business of the Council; to show you how the money at the command of the Provincial Government was disposed of during the year 1870. I shall alsr> show you the proposed expenditure for the current year, and in what proportion the Goldfields and the settled districts contribute to the revenue, and participate in the expenditure. I shall then briefly comment on the various measures that came before the Council. As some of these iteui3 are purely of a business character, dealing with dry figures, I must bespeak your forbearance and attention. The Bevenue and Expenditure (1870), amounted, respectively, to £86,706 and £82,467; leaving a balance of £4239 in hand at the expiration of the financial year. By a rather complicated calculation (in which I have been careful not to under-estimate the revenue derived from the settled districts) I find that the two portions of the Province have contributed revenue, from various sources, in the following proportions : Settled Districts ... £21,706 Goldfields 65,000 Total £56,700 From this calculation it will be seen that the Goldfields furnished upwards of three-fourths of the total revenue derived from the Province. The expenditure I have divided under the heads of departmental and public works, which has been disbursed as follows, charging each district, as nearly as possible, with its proper share:— settled districts. Departmental £21,500 Public Works 11,055 £35,555 GOLDFIELDS. Departmental .£27,113 Public Works 14,457 Brunnor Coal Mine 5342 £82,467 Balance Unexpended 4239 £86.706 The departmental expenditure charged against the Goldfields includes a sum of £2OOO, deposited for leases, &c, which has to be refunded and should not, therefore, be included as receipts or expenditure except to balance accounts. The item of £5342, expended in the Brunuer Coal Mine, I have put under a separate head, as I do not consider it Hghtly belongs to the Goldfields. The Superintendent has always charged the expenditure on the mine to the Goldfields, making it appear fiat a larger amount had been disbursed on the Goldfields than was actually the case. I do not recognise the right to charge, against the public works expenditure of the Goldfields, money spent in wages, &c , in carrying out a speculation in which the Province has entered in coal-mining at the Brunuer. The above figures are necessarily but an approximate calculation, but, as previously stated, I have carefully avoided any undoi-estimat i of the i evonue derived from the settled

districts, or of the expenditure upon or in connection with the Goldfields. While, therefore, the settled districts, during 1870, contributed but £21,706, the expenditure, in that portion of the Province was £35,555, slowing a clear profit to the settled districts—and a corresponding loss to us—of £13,849. But not alone that, for the settled districts have also exclusively participated in the vote of £50,000 granted by the General Assembly to Eoad Boards for outlying districts throughout the Colony. The proportion of this sum falling to Nelson amounted to £4,800 and this has been entirely expended, so that they have enjoyed a total expenditure, in excess ot their proper revenue, of, at least, £18,649. The Opposition to our Separation movement contended for a rich prize, and I do not believe that the population of the settled districts could be supported if left to themselves. Their producers are not increasing, notwithstanding the largo sums expended to encourage and foster them ; the people are in a most miserable condition owing to the poverty of the land upon which they are located. J pointed out, in the Council, that the proper place to expend money was where it would—as with us—give a return, and that the voting of large sums for that portion of the Province was not alone a loss to the Province but to the Colony at large. Why waste the revenue on roads through lands that are valueless and incapable of improvement ? Year by year money is voted for the public works on the G-oldfields which is not expended. The land fund, a large item in past years, has been absorbed in what is called the settled districts, and yet these districts are not now self-supporting. I will now com3 to The Eeventje and Expenditure, 1871.

Tou will understand that the revenue for the current year can only be estimated, and it has been fixed by the Provincial Treasurer, I think, with tolerable accuracy at £57,700, which may be approximately divided as follows : Settled districts £22,200 Goldfields 55,500 Brunner Coal Mine ... 8,000 Deposits Repayable ... 2,000

£87,700 The proportions contributed by the two sections of the Province are similar to those of the previous year, but as a matter of convenience I have placed under separate heads the sums derivable from the working of the coal mine and the deposits repayable. The amount voted by the Council to be expended throughout the Province was £95,533 12s 4d, being £BIOO in excess of the estimated revenue, but in dealing with the probable expenditure it will be necessary to keep within the limits of the £87,700, the amount of the probable revenue. The expenditure may therefore be divided as follows : SETTJ ED DISTKICTS. Departmental £27,000 Koad Boards... ... ... 3,525 Maintenance of roads and existing contracts ... 7,440 GOLDFIELDS. Departmental ,£21,000 Maintenance of roads and existing contracts ... 12,500 Brunner Coal Mine 8,000 Deposits Repayable ... ... ... 2,000 Balance available for new works ... 6,235 £87,700 After making provision for the departmental expenditure, which is estimated at £48,000, exclusive of £2OOO deposits repayable, and for tho payment to Boad Boards, which seems to form one of the first charges against the revenue, as it is always paid in full, 1 have next placed the expenditure necessary for the maintenance of roads and payment of existing contracts, which will leave only the small sum of £0235 available for new works throughout the Province. And this sum can only be reckoned upon assuming that the estimated revenue will be realised. The Provincial Council have voted liberally, but it does not follow that the money will be forthcoming. This vote in excess is made in this manner: the Government when showing the estimated revenue furnish an account of proposed expenditure. On looking over thi-j, members notice the omission of public works which are greatly required in the districts they represent, and, supply the deficiency: in this way item after item is added, the Council generally acceding to reasonable proposals. The question as to which works shall have the preference is then left in the hands of the Executive, and I think it better for us that it should be so, as the Goldfields' members only form a fourth of the Council, and some of th m not always true to our interests. The Superintendent has better means of information than the Council, and is less likely to commit a great injustic3, besides he imore directly responsible to us What share of £6OOO is likely to fall to these districts, I am unable to say. There are several works of great importance which should receive the preference, but as the settled districts are much nearer to the Treasury than we, they will pro bably succeed in obtaining at least £2500, which will leave about £IOOO available for the Goldfields. The sum of £IGOO for a road from Inangahua to the reefs is an item that will probably bo expended in this district. I have great hopes that the work will bo commenced at once, as I believe that the Government are alive to the importance of fostering tho increasing mining industry and settlement on the magnificent lands in the Inangahua Valley.

Public Wokks Act, 1870. Under the above Act it became the duty of the Council to recommend such works within the Province as they deemed most desirable. Those approved by the Council were —a railway from Nelson to Foxhill, a line connecting the Brunner Coalmine with Cobden, and a line from Mount Eochfort to "Westport. Under the G-uldfields Water Supply scheme of the General Government the Council recommended certain works in various districts upon j the report of Mr Dobson, Provincial Engineer. ] opposed the Nelson and Foxhill railway scheme, being convinced that such a work would in no way benefit the country. It was urged that it would bo the means of opening up the country for settlement. I asked where the availoblo land was situated ? But its supporters could give no satisfactory answer. There is now a really excellent road through the AVaimea Valley, and little or no traflic upon it, for the simple reason that the land is not productive, and cannot support tho population already settled on it—much less can it spare any produce for exportation. The receipts of the tollbar were cited as a criterion of the amount which would be derived from traffic upon the line. It was stated to bo £IOOO per annum. This argument was met by the fact that the toll-bar leceipts were chiefly derived from persons driving or riding out of town on short and mostly pleasure trips, and not from ordinary trade traffic. A railway would derive no profit from many persons who were now using the Waimea road for the purpose of recreation, or even business. I made it my business to collect certain dala for the purpose of illustrating thip, and on visiting the various livery stables, of hich there are a considerable number in Nelson, I found that there were close upon seventy horses kept for hire. Prom these and the equipages of private families living in and about Nelson fully half the tolls are collected—the cartage of firewood and timber, and a little produce, furnish the balance. It was contended also that the expense of cartage to and from a railway, and the labour of unloading and reloading would preclude agricultuists and wood-carters from availing themselves of such a means of conveyance; that the line of railway in existence to the Dun Mountain was altogether useless, except for the purposo of bringing in firewood, and this traffic was not found to be remunerative. If it did not pay upon a line twelve miles long, it was impossible that a line twenty-three miles in length could be made to pay. The probability of coal being supplied to Nelson so cheaply, that the consumption of firewood would be greatly diminished, was also an argument in our favour. These arguments against the scheme were unanswerable, and I may inform you that the Nelson people themselves are divided as to the advisability of such a work. With respect tj the Dun Mountain speculation I have been informed that a company in England expended something like £75,000 in buildings, railway, plant, &c, for working what was supposed to be a valuable seam of copper ore at tho Dun Mountain. I believe a cargo of this ore was sent to England, and on arrival it was found to be utterly worth. less, the copper contained in the ore not being sufficient to pay the expense or smelting and freight. The works were immediately stopped, and the railway has ever since been lying idle, except for the purpose mentioned. The whole property could, I have no doubt, be purchased for a very small sum. I do not think that another line of railway in a place of Ruch experiences will be supported by the Government of the country. One or two of the Goldfields' members supported the scheme in the Council, but need I say that I was not of the number. The Brunner and Cobden scheme stands on an entirely different footing. The consumption of coal is already large, profitable, and daily increasing. Although anxious that the coalfield in this neighbourhood should be worked in preference to any other, I approved the scheme on the ground that what is just in one place, circumstances being equal, is also just in another. There are, however, certain difficulties in connection with the Brunner mine which do not exist at Mount Eochfort. There is a fault in the former mine, and after, at considerable outlay, the workings are extended through that fault, there remains the contingency of the seam being lost or becoming of inferior quality. There is yet another difficulty, namely that the Commissioners who have reported upin tb.3 work are, I understand, opposed to the railway being constructed on the Nelson side of the river. If so the railway to the mine may be tat en out of the 1 ands of this Province, Westland wt.uld be called upon to guarantee the interest and sinking fund upon the capital expended, and I question whether the financial position of the County would enable it to offer any substantial guarantee. The Mount Eochfort Coalfield on the other hand is beyond all question. Its extent has been proved as enormous, and the quality of the coal is admittedly the best for steam purposes or fuel of any yet discovered in the Southern hemisphere. (Hear, hear.) Estimates and plans havo all been prepared long ago, and all is ready for at once proceeding with the work. Other interests may cause this really Colonial undertaking to be deferred, but I shall use my utmost endeavours to support its adoption by the General As-

sembly. I hope that both the Brunner railway, and the line from Westport to Mount Eochfort will be constructed, and should the Foxhill scheme meel with the fate it deserves, it is not unreasonable to expect that the two will be undertaken. It is estimated that fully £200,000 is annually sent away by the Colony for coal. To secure the circulation of such a sum within the country is deserving of the fullest consideration, and with our coalfields should be easily obtained. KELSON GAS AND WATEB SUPPLY. I opposed the proposal to borrow the sum of £30,000 for gas and water supply to the city of Nelson, even though the repayment of the loan and interest were secured upon the rates. I did not think that it was the legitimate business of the country to undertake this, and as far as the supply of gas is concerned I .consider tho scheme perfectly chi. merical in a town so sparsely populated as Nelson, where the consump. tion of gas, even if in general use, would be so small that the price would' have to be comparatively higher than kerosene in order to pay working expense!. As a consequence it would be fouid that, unless gas was provided to the public at a loss, the demand would be very small indeed ; tradesmen gmerally wonld not undertake the expeise of having gas laid on, unless it were to secure to them some advantage. GREY ANNEXATION. There as existed on the part of a portion c the people in the Grey District, blonging to the County of Westlanda desire to be annexed to this Provice. How it has been im. planted I annot say. Suffice it, that a petitiorhad been presented, and a com mid ou appointed to visit the distnt proposed to be annexed, an to report upon its advisability or ttherwise. A select committee c the Council was also appointed to consider the matter, and their report has recently bm published in the local journal. may briefly state that we exainined,sry carefully, tho financial position ofhe districts seeking annexation, and e found so large an amount of indebteiess that the revenue, after paying infrest on loans and meeting the expeies of government, would leave only small balance of £3500 or £3OOO avaible for public works. We found alsohat the circumstances of the distric had altered materially for the woe since the report of the j commissiohad been furnished. Not I only had t: population decreased, but the substition of a capitation allowance for tbpayment of a fixed portion of the Cuoms Eevenue, and other causes oprated very prejudiciallv against thdistrict. The smatt-Wwi^-.„ canjnow nongerbe shown. Had we recommende the annexation of the Westlandortionof the Grey District these GolCelds would have found in them an Iditionai burden. Owing to their osition 1 feared that we would derre no advantage from the additional representation, that the Goldfield: would secure in the Provincial Cuncil, as it wa& more likely that tleiew members woUd combine with tie settled districts' members in divertin; the revenue of our Goldfields. I, therefore, opposed this annexation althoagi anxious to do away with the inconvfliience arising from the existing bondary of the Grey river, and to oh tin increased representation ia the Council for the Goldfields. At the sans nme I must say thatl would gladly j suport the Goldfields being placed un<e: one government, if such terms cat he arranged as will leave us unembairissed by the large indebtedness of the County of Westland.—(Hear, heir). Legislation of the session. One of the first nets which occupied tha Council was ar. amended Dog Act —a measure which you will not think 1 of much importance The people of 1 the settled districts thought it a bur- .1 den to pay ten shilings annually for 1 the registration of a dog, and it was I reducedtofiveshillinTs. AHighwayßill i wis also passed, defining how persons 1 shall drive on the public roads. I I suppose that no interest will be felt. S in that Ordinance cither, as we hare'B no roads to drive ipon. A bill was 1 also passed to provde for the better 1 management of the Nelson Hospital, 8 and while on this I think 1 some compliment is due to the manage- 1 ment of our local institution. With ■ all the advantages Kelson possesses in ■ cheap provisions, &c., the cost of each 9 patient is nearly double that of our fl Coast patients; and I must also in- ■ form you that the Nelson people do 9J not contribute by public subscriptions ■ to their institution. In this respect ■ the Gohlfieldß inhabitants present a ■ most striking controst to the people oiflj the settled districts. (Hear, hear.)*! Under tho provisions m.ide by tneßJ General Government for Water Sup'BJ ply to Goldfields, the Council reconrii mended certain works which I snallßß support in my place in the AssemblfHi (Hear, hear.) The work recommended™ for this district ib on Addison's Jfrfflfl If carried out it will provide anil cibundance of water from Dirty Maryßß Creek to the Shamrock. fl Executive Act. fl It will bo remembered that the Exe-IB cutive Act of IS7O was the P rincl {*B cause of the extraordinary prolongsßßJ tion of the session last year. It also bo remeinbored that I opposed •■■ as a measure likely to disa , gan> se Provincial Council and impair f"J efficiency of the Executive. Thißsesswjß

I felt it my duty to do all that lay in my power to ensure its overthrow, which was achieved, t am happy to say, in very little time. The new Executive Ordinance is not exactly to my taste. Two provisions in it I op. posed-—one which gives the Superintendent power to call to his Executive f ou r members of Council, which, I think, is too many in so small a Council, and which I consequently sought to amend by reducing the number. The other refers to the admission of Eersons to the Provincial Council olding contracts from the Government. I think it derogatory to such an Assembly to allow persons to become members who have a pecuniary interest in the expenditure of public money, or a personal interest in any of the public works which may come under consideration. By comparing the Acts of 1870 and 1871, it will be found that the real power is by both Acts vested in the Superintendent, but the Act of 1870, by sanctioning the appointment of four members of the Provincial Council to the Executive, three of whom held office at the ff jll of the Council, a quasi-responsible form el Government was constituted upon a most absurd basis, making the minority responsible for the majority -or, iii other words, providing the Superintendent with a shield to cover his action whenever he thought fit to avail himself of it. It had another and most injurious effect in the Council jtself, by introducing into so small a body the party struggles which must inevitably take place where prizes of place and pay are held out as a reward for self-seeking and intrigue. Happily, that is now done away with, and I hope there is all the more likelihood of Future sessions being short, and the business less encumbered by individual interests. While on this. subject I must claim your forbearance while dealing with a personal matter which has been the subject ot some misrepresentation, and possibly some misunderstanding. "When the question of the Executive Ordinance was brought forward, the Goldfields members were appealed to to give their opinions as to the working of the provisions of the Act bearing directly upon them. I will read from the report of the " Charleston Herald," as copied by them from the Westport Times, what I said upon the occasion :

"The appointment of the representative of one district to represent the whole was generally looked upon with disfavour because it wag naturally supposed that a member of the G-old-fields, who took his seat upon the Executive, would bring there with him Ms leanings to his own district and to the particular class to which he might Wong, uuikr-thcreby be enabled to Dave a power which might be used to the prejudice of other districts and other Goldfields' members in the Council; indeed an instance was not wanting to illustrate this. It would he remembered that last session a vote of £2OOO was passed which was to be expended on a road between Westport and Charleston, with the understanding that this expenditure should not be incurred unless the actual revenue exceeded the estimated revenue. But, notwithstanding that many roadworks of great importance were untouched or unfinished in several districts, this road, useful only for social purposes, was commenced. And that on the eve of a general election at which Mr Donne was a candidate." It will be seen that in that statement there are three distinct allegations. Ist, against the constitution of the Executive itself. 2nd, against the breach of faith which that Executive have committed by expending money on a certain public work which, according to an understanding with the Council should not have been undertaken. 3rd, against a member of the Executive who made use of hia position in order to advance his own personal interest on the occasion of a general election. The first and second charges could easily have been, answered if it.were possible to do so, by an appeal to the knowledge of the Council itself, but no such appeal was made, neither were the statements questioned at the time. The truth of the third, a charge w against Mr Donne, was too well i known to be gainsaid; for is it not a ; ract that the survey of the line of road I was commenced immediately after | I declared my intention to" contest [ we election with Mr Donne ? Is it I not well known that he was the prime I mover in the affair, and that be assumed I a right to have a voice in the acceptance j °' the tenders called for the work, which were to be closed upon the very . % appointed for polling? Now I will } qaute from the same paper what Mr ; Uonne said several days afterwards conJjajmg these charges. He said that ; they were untrue, and never spoken, IWO if spoken would have been contra. aict «d; that the charge was really di»«ted at the Goldfields Representative, "J* plainly set forth that he (Mr, nn e) as Goldfields Representative, ""J while filling an Executive position«M abused that position for electioneerl ™g Purposes. He asked the Counci « say whether this report was a true m whether such imputations were not Pi»t f ", Mr Donne concluded by oving « That the matter purporting to f* a J£P° rt of the speech of the member ftl«S tport ' Mr O'Conor, printed in £ Westport Times " of the 11th May i incorrect, and contains statements re[Jvpon the member for Charleston art? ete , nofc made in this Council EL l ** °' Conor « any other IstitJi , issue is t* ere plainly pea and admitted by all parties, if

the Council had accepted Mr Donne's resolution, both the truth of my statement and of the report would have been questioned, hut such was not the case, and the allegations which I made as against Mr Donne were complete. 1 am reported to have said that " Placards were affixed in localities likely to favor the undertaking to this effect:—' If you wish the road made between Add'son's and Charleston, vote for Donne.'" Whether I actually said this or not is a matter of doubt, my own impression is that 1 did, but some members of the Council are of opinion that I omitted doing so, while others hold with me. But as there was a doubt about it, and the fac* contained in the statement so well known, the omission was really of little importance. I determined to concede the point, and to allow that the part of my reported speech which applied to the placards was incorrectly reported, but that the rest was strictly and accurately correct. Mr Donne, with the advice of bis clique, accepted the amendment, well knowing that he was by it entirely foiled in his intention to cast discredit upon those allegations which fastened to Mr Donne the full measure of his guilt, and which, then by his action and by the vote, received ; for the second time the endorsement of the Council. I explained in Council that the error, if any existed, occurred through my sending the notes from which I had spoken to the Westport Times. In notes mention was certainly made of the placards, and it may be that when I did mention them, attention might have been attracted elsewhere by the studied and repeated noises and interruptions, which a certain party in the Council was in the habit of making when anything was said which did not exactly suit him. The " Charleston Herald," in a most disingenuous way, has endeavoured to misrepresent the whole affair; it affects to ignore the fact that my statements were indisputable, and that the effort of the enemy to shake my position was abortive; it launches into a long tirade against me, in which it insinuates that the whole report is a fabrication, and that the placard in question had no existence. It may suit the policy of that paper to misrepresent and distort my conduct, and also to abuse the " Westport Times." But I think in this affair they should have followed Mr Donne's example, and been silent. In order to show you who may be uninformed upon the subject that my statement concerning the placard is true, I produce it. [Here Mr O'Conor produced a placard, which read as follows:—>" Electors of Addison's Flat, —Do you want the Addison's Koad made? If so, vote for Donne. N. B. O'Conor, grnmble not hereafter."] This bill, gentlemen, is the " Westport Times" office copy. It has an endorsement by Mr Tyrrell who is now the nominal proprietor of the " Herald," and who was, at the time that this bill was printed, in the "Times" office The endorsement is " 50, Feb. Ist, 1871," and here is the job book which, at that time, was also kept by Mr Tyrrell; an entry is made in it in his handwriting on Feb Ist, charging Mr Donne's committee with those very bills. The entry is here and as I hold the books of the late proprietors of the " Times," I will be happy at any time to prod uce them to any persons anxious to ascertain the fact. But I cannot dispose of this matter without commenting upon the evident party tone and party spirit which seem to actuate both the " Colonist," of Nelson, and fie " Herald," of Charleston. Mr Luckie the editor and nominal proprietor of the " Colonist," who is himself but the " shadow " of another party, assumes the leadership of a small clique in the Council. Suffice it to know that the correspondent of the " Charleston Herald" is one of this clique and that Mr Donne is another. Mr Luckie, by frequent interruptions whenever I spoke, did his utmost to promote the projects of his friends and baffle me. The manner in which this was done was as indeeent as the motive was apparent. On one occasion, after frequent interruptions, he rose from his seat and crossing the room, while I was speaking, came behind me and snatched away a book from my desk which I had for reference. And yet Mr Luckie was not called to order! I am afraid that the Speaker, for whom I entertain the kindliest feeling, is under the thrall of Mr Luckie. Ob another occasion I was called to order by him at the request of Mr Luckie because it was suggested that I might say something, and lately when the Speaker had characterised something which I had said as " highly disorderly " I appealed to him to explain what that something was. Mr Speaker was unable to furnish the information, but, after some hesitation, referred to Mr Luckie. " Straws will show how the wind blows." I do not mean to say that I always am what is called in order, for when the standing orders of the Provincial Council stand in the way of my expressing my opinion on the manner in which the business of the country is transacted, then, at the risk of being called to order, I disregard them. I do not entertain a very high opinion of the Council, and sometimes I think it well to let them know that. Another matter is the gratuity of £l5O voted by the Council to Mr Donne. 1 at first was disinclined to take any very active part in opposing this, because I felt that my action would be attributed to the fact of my not being one of his admirers. But when 1 saw him present and ready

to take part in the debaie, and actually pleading, in a manner to draw tears from tbo eyes of a butcher, I really felt that the proceeding was such as could not be passed over in silence. It transpired that Mr Donue had been six months on the Executive ; during that time ho had acted as red-stick-in-waiting to his Honor ; had taken upon himself tho duties of District Engineer ; had even, without authority called for tenders for the repair of the coast road, which tenders were, I understand, not entertained ; and that in several other ways he had paraded the coast, showing an evident disposition to meddle with everybody's business but his own. For all this, which he called "solid work," he had received £llO, Mr Reid, his predecessor, receiving £4O. From motives which are best passed over in silence, the Council consented to his receiving £l5O more, making his salary at the rate of £520 per annum. BuLLER DISTEICT VOTES.

A very fair provision has been made for this district. We have for Roads— Buller district above the Lyell, £SOO ; Westport to Lyell reefs, £IOOO ; protective works, Westport, £1750; Inaugahua Junction to reefs, £1600; towingtracks, £ISOO. The last two items are of the greatest importance to this town and to the district, but fearing that money would not be forthcoming for both, with the co-operation of some of the leading persons here, I have made a proposal to the Government in reference to the towing track, with the object of securing the immediate commencement of the work.—(Hear, hear, and applause.) I succeeded in obtaining an increase on the sum for " streets and local improvements," which at first was fixed at £l5O, a ridiculous sum for streets and local improvements, considering the state of the streets in this town, in Charleston, and Ahaura. I proposed to make the sum £350, which wasjopposed by Mr Luckie, and his confederates. However, he only succeeded in depriving us of £SO, and on the division Mr Donne was not ashamed to vote with him, notwithstanding that he must on many occasions have imperilled his invaluable neck by a walk in the streets of Charleston.

Mr O'Conor having shown the unfair position in which the Goldfields were placed as compared with the remaining portion of the Province, proceeded to point out a remedy. The remedy was to procure increased representation of the proper kind in the Council, or separation. Under the Constitution Act it was clearly stated that every portion of a Province should be equitably represented. The clause read as follows : " And in determining the number and the number of members to be elected for each district, regard shall be had to the number of electors within the same, so that the number of members to be assigned to any one district may bear to tho whole number of the members of the said Council, as nearly as may be, the same proportion as the number of electors within such district shall bear to the whole number of electoi'3 within the limits of tho Province."

Mr O'Conor showed how utterly this provision was disregarded to our disadvantage, but want of space precludes our referring to this and other matters touched upon by him. When concluding, he expressed his willingness to reply to 'any questions, and resumed his seat, after an hour and a half's address, amid loud and prolonged applause. The Chairman addressed a few complimentary remarks to those present, and to Mr O'Conor, which were received with cheers, and the meeting dispersed.