NEW GOVERNMENT FOR THE WEST COAST.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 991, 30 July 1872, Page 3

NEW GOVERNMENT FOR THE WEST COAST.

At a public meeting held at Ahaura on the 19th inst., to take into consideration the propositions of Mr W. H. Harrison, M.H.E., for the district, and other matters with respect to the future government of the West Coast Goldfields, perfect unanimity prevailed upon the question of the necessity for some instant and radical change, one of the speakers pithily expressing the sentiments of the meeting by saying that it been vulgarly suggested that by changing their mode of government they might be "jumping out of the frying-pan into the fire;" but be it so, anything but the fryingpan, as it was at present. Out of the frying-pan by all means, and into the fire, even though the consequence should be a "grilling," for such an operation would be preferable to the process of slow rust they were at present undergoing. The following resolutions were unanimously adopted : "That in the opinion of this meeting the administration of public affairs in the Nelson South-west Goldfields under the Provincial Government of Nelson has been productive of serious discontent, has retarded greatly the development of the resources of the district, and calls for the immediate intervention of the Legislature." "That this meeting having the propositions of Mr Harrison before it, concurs with them so far as they recognise the necessity for separation from j?r6viricial Government of Nelson, and is of opinion that it would be more conduce to good government, and less cumbersome in its action, if the control of the whole of the "West Coast Goldfields was placed under the immediate authority of the General Government, but failing this to approve of a plan for the whole of the West Coast Goldfields being consolidated under the Provincial form of Government, without County Councils." * That this meeting, while recognising and thanking their representative, Mr W. H. Harrison, for his consistent efforts for the welfare of this district, would urge upon him the necessity of obtaining an increased representation m the General Assembly for it; which, son consequence of the greatly increasing importance of the mining interest within it, seems to this meeting a fair and reasonable demand." " That for the purpose of carrying out the views embodied in the foregoing resolutions, a League be formed, I to be called 'The West Coast Goldfields Reform League,' and that tho following gentlemen be requested to act as a general committee:—Messrs W. H. Harrison, M. Kennedy, A. [ »eid, Greymouth • Mr Peter Dungan, | ftroa; Mesars Owen and Clark, Staf-

ford ; Mr G. Barff, Waiuiea ; Messrs White, Button, Hoos, Todd, and M'Farlane, Hokitika ; Mr Robinson, Kanieri; Messrs Tribe, Cuming. Gibson, and Gordon, Ross; Mr R. Canovan, Okarita ; Messrs Ryan, Cobden ; G. Muir, Camptown; W. S. Campbell, G. Hastie, No Town; A. Ellis, M. LVennan, Jas. Stephens, Nelson Greek ; J. W. Jones, Moonlight 5 J. M'Laughlin, J. D. Pinkerton, Ahaura 5 D. Donald, R. Alcorn, Totara Flat 5 J. Marshal], C. Clarsou, A. Nicol, Duffer Creek and Half-Ounce; G. M. Mackley, J. Lock, Noble's and Napoleon ; W. Pitt, H. G. Hankin, C. Mace, J. Ivess, and P. Brennan, Reefton ; J. B. Fisher, J. Hughes, J. Munro, and M'Far,lane, Westport; Donne, Dwan, and R. Gilmer, Charleston ; Jones, Brighton ; J. F. Johnston, J, O'Malley, J. Ferguson, Little Grey; and that a Local Committee be appointed."