The Westport Times. FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 1874.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1182, 5 June 1874, Page 2

The Westport Times. FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 1874.

The early prorogation of,the Provincial Council will ensure to the newly appointed Executive a term of office until at least the next meeting of the Council, and as the member for the Buller in tho House of Representatives now holds the offices of Provincial Treasurer and Secretary, it can hardly be expectod that he will find time to leave the care of Provincial affairs to subordinates while he occupies his seat in the House. In fact *at the present juncture of Provincial affairs, it would be unwise for the electors to expect him to do so. If reform in provincial administration is to mean auything beyond change in the personnel of the Executive it will be absolutely necessary that each member immediately after the close of the present session should betakehimself sedulously to work out the suggestions of the Council and give effect to the resolutions of that body, and upon no inein.

ber will the onus of such duty fall so continually as on the Treasurer and Secretary. Hence whatever may bo his willingness to essay many parts, or the willingness of the electors to permit so many duties to be entrusted to one servant, it must be borne in mind that not only in Provincial affairs but in the action of the Gene.ral Government this district has special anxiety, and that very much depends in either case upon a constantly watchful regard for local interests. At the present the district can hardly venture to run the risk of its interests being neglected in either place, and the prorogation of the Provincial Council should be mstantly followed by an avowal on the part of the Provincial Secretary as to his intentions. If he sees his way clearly to perform the triple duties, and the electors are content, all well and good, but if, as may be presumed will occur, Mr O'Conor should find it advisable to resign his Beat as member of the House of Kepresentatives, then the sooner the electors bestir themselves to elect his successor the better for the district. The House meets in about a month from date, and though probably it may be the last session of the New Zealand Parliament previous to a general election, it does not follow that this district should run any unnecessary risk of having its interests jeopardised.