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Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 982, 19 September 1871, Page 2

This is all very plausible, but it is very wide of the truth. Long before the present scheme of local government was ever dreamt of , Mr Harrison, in his place in the House of Representatives, enunciated the same views that he did the other night, and these speeches wore printed and circulated throughout the* Colony. His constituents knew his opinion on this question well, as he stated it at every meeting he held during his late canvass of the district, and it is the veriest clap-trap now to' promulgate such a statement as that .given above. Our contemporary oughtto have argued the question honestly «»n its merits, without heaping abuse drt' the hend of » gentleman who happens to Hitter witih it in opinion, especially when it is still open to grave doubt whether the reduction of the gold duty would benefit the practical miner one single penny, and also whether it would be possible to carry o^'tfte functions of government without 'Vm%^-' Perhaps our contemporary will

be able to tell us how many weeks Westland would exist with any form of governmenjb.without the gold duty. Every one expects that in the natural course of events* this duty will "be gradually reduced, until it is entirely done away with, as was the case in Victoria, but the question has also to be considered whether [the country has -arrived at that stage of settlement and prosperity that the aboli tion of the gold duty would not indirectly bo a greater hardship to tho miners than the continuation of the tax. During the debate on the question, Mr Fox said : — "It appeared to him that what the diggers really wanted was, not so much how heavily or how lightly they should be taxed, as that the taxation levied upon them should be returned to them in some more satisfactory and beneficial mode than was the case at present. That alone was the difficulty, whatever it might amount :to when explained. He must confess himself to be in some doubt on the question laid before them, whether the diggers themselves would, after, all, be so much in favor of the reduction of the duty on gold as the honarable member would lead the House to believe ; however, he would not be positive on the point, as he would pre sumo the honorable member who had brought forward the motion was better acquainted with the wishes of his constituents. . Looking at the question in all its bearings, and not merely as to whether it would be productive of such great benefit to the miners, he did not zee how the Government could move in the direction indicated at present." The question is now shelved for another year.