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Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 141, 16 June 1891, Page 3

A deputation representing the goldfield members of Parliament and the County Council delegates assembled in conference at Wellington, waited on the Hon. J. Ballance, Premier, yesterday. Mr Fergus, as spokesman, urged that the abolition of the gold duty and the repeal of the Crown Lands Rating Act had had a disastrous effect on the revenuesof theCountyCouncils. Mr Brennan spoke in the same strain. Mr Ballance held out no hope that the gold duty would be restored or that the Crown Lands Hating Act would be re-enacted. Hβ held out very little hope of Government assistance to the Councils, and he urged them to cut down their departmental expenses so that they should have a larger sum for works. Other members of the deputation spoke of the injustice of making the Councils keep up the roads without) having a fair revenue to do it with. Mr Ballance said the Government would noii take over the roads, and it wa? not at all likely that any grant from the Treasury would bo made to the Councils. The policy of the country was against the latter course. The matter would receive careful consideration from the Government, but he could give no assurance that the assistance asked for would be granted.

M. Leon Drive* will give his pianoforte recital on Monday, June 22nd, ab the Choral Hall, instead of Thursday, as advertised. Full particulars will appear in a future issue.