OPENING OF THE WESTLAND COUNCIL.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXVII, Issue 28, 5 March 1868, Page 9

OPENING OF THE WESTLAND COUNCIL.

The TVestliind County Council was opened on Monday, February 10, when the Hon. J. Hall (the Chairman) delivered a lengthy speech, from which we make the following extracts :—: — Gentlemen— l propose to confine the remarks which I ask leave to address to you upon the opening of this Council, chiefly to a statement of the business which appears to mo to require your attention. I cannot, bower or, on this the occasion of your first meeting refrain from congratulating you on tlio accomplishment of the desire so long expressed by the inhabitants of Wcstland, for the possession of moro efficient means than they have hitherto enjoyed for regulating tho administration of their j'ovenuo on local public works. The legislation by which it has been sought to secure these objects is, owing to tho peculiar circumstances under which it was effected, necessarily of an incomplete, and rather experimental character. It contains, however, provisions which, if wisely used by tho Exeoutivc Government and by tho representatives of tho electors of Wesllnnd in this Council, and in the 'several Road Boards, must be productive of great advantago to this important district. lam assured that you may rely upon the best efforts of tho Govcrninonl being devoted to this purpose, and tho Govornmont depends upon these eJlbrls being seconded by tho hearty co-operation of you and your constituents. "The County of Westland Act" imposes on this Council tho duty of recommending in what proportions tho surplus which may remain of the revenue of tho County, nftoi' providing for tho ordinary expenses of Ihe Government, ahull ho divided among the Bcvcval Bond Boards and Municipalities, and also of advising and assisting tho Governor or his delegate in tho administration of tho affairs of the County generally. The latter provision cannot be construed to mean that the general details of administration shall bo submitted to or regulated by tho Council,' a courso which could only be productivo of confusion and conflict; I understand it, however, to imply that the Council shall be consulted on any important oxereiso of the powers conferred by the Act on tho Governor or his delegate and on such questions as can, without detriment to tho Public Service, bo postponed until the periodical sittings of tho Council. It will, moreover, be open to tho Council to call for information or for returns with regard to any part of tho expenditure of the Government or to any of tho dejmrtments which are under tho control of the Chairman of tho Council, as well as to discuss such information, and to make any recommendation in reforenco thereto which it may consider desirable. While such recommendations uro not binding on tho Government 1 am assurod it will always bo found ready to pay duo regard to wishes deliberately expressed by the County Council, upon subjects on which its local knowledge and tho interests of its constituents render its opinion valuable. I lay before you an estimate of tho probablo revenue of tho County, for the six months commencing tho Ist January last, and a statement of tho expenditure) which will bo required for carrying on the ordinary Government of tho County and of the goldfields during tho same period, as well as of the estimated payments on account of interest and sinking fund of tho Canterbury debt. You will perceive that since the commencement of tho present year reductions have already been mado in somo of tho departments, and (hat further measures of a similar kind aro contemplated. It is possible that these reductions may occasion inconTenicnco in tho localities affected by them, but I trust you will ngreo with me that this inconvenience is not of such an extent or character as would justify tho Government in relinquishing tho mcusuro of economy. I need not remind you that the amount of monoy which can bo devoted to the construction of roads and public works within the County, will depend mainly upon tho extent to which strict economy is practised in tho administration of its affairs. Upon an inspection of this estimate and statement you will find that a largo proportion of tho balance of tho rovenuo of tho County, after payment of the cost of Government establishments, appears likely to bo absorbed by tho charge imposed on We&tlancl as its contribution to tho interest and sinking fund of tho public dobt of the Provinco of Canterbury. You will not, I am sure, dispute tho justice of a reasonable contribution for tho above purpose being furnished by this district, but I think you will find difficulty in discovering upon what sound principle, cither of justico or policy, the present adjustment is basod 5 I feel confident tha*, upon an application from this Council, setting forth fully tho circumstances under which and tho objects for which this debt has been incurred, the General Assembly will not rofuso to re-consider the present settlement. I do not ovei. beliovo that tho inhabitants of tho Provinco of Canterbury themselves will bo fouud to object to such a courso. In the meantime, the law must bo obeyed and tho money paid. The wholo of tho departments which wero formerly under tho Provincial Government remain for tho present under my control, as tho dolcgate of the Governor — with regard to somo of them, such as the gaols, tho police force, and tho departments concerned in tho administration of justice, the Government is of opinion that this arrangement should be permanent. In other eases, however, I am to suggest for your consideration that a change may be advantageously effected, especially it appears to me that considerable benefits would bo likely to arise from plucing tho eoverul hospitals in Wcstland under local management, extending to them such assintanco from the county funds, and subjecting them thcroforo to such inspection on tho part of persons oppointcd by tho Government, as may bo found expedient. In the cave also of Primary schools already in existence, as well as of those to bo hereafter established, it appears to mo to bo of importanco to obtuin tho co-operation and support of local school committees, whii'h would not only nu'so a portion of the funds by which theso schools havo to bo supportod, but would nl»o provide for them an efficient local supervision and control. The uppoiutmint and removal of havbour masters, pilots, and other officers of ports and harbours in Now Zealand is by law invested in tho Governor. It has been considered by tho Legislature oxpedient that, in tho administration of a servico seriously affecting tho external trade and commerco of tho colony tho Government of tho colony should possess tho ultimate right of control. In the exercise of this right, however, it has boon found desirable to havo recourse to the local knowledgo and local intert'Bt of tho various Provincial Governments to whom the actuul management of these departments has thcroforo been geuertilly dolegated. In tho ease of tho harbour service in Weslland, I shall be glad to discuss with you any proposals for their economical and efficient administration, which your intimate acquaintance with tho circumstances of this coast may suggest. Of tho various subjects which await your consideration, the most important in its bearing upon the futuro progress and the permanent welfare- of this important part of thu colony, is that of tho sale and disposal of the Crown Lands. Tho Governor in Council is empowered to make and issvie regulations on this subject, but I am desired to stato that beforo advising his Excellency as to tho term of regulations to be thus issued, the Government will bo glad to receive from you such recommendations as i your local information may ernvblo you to furnish. I attach so much importance to tin-owing open Crowns Lands in this portion of tho colony for the purpose of settlement without delay, that I trust tho subject will receive your earliest consideration, and that your recommendations will be determined on as speedily as is compatible with a careful consideration of'this important subject. lv tho exoiviso of the powers conferred upon the Governor by section 5 of the " County of Wcstland Act," his Excellency has divided the county into four Koad Districts, to which and to Iho Municipality ol llokitiliii llio Government is empowered to ili.-tri-bvito the hiii-mUis revenue specified iv tho Act. In effecting this distribution, tho Government will, as already stated, bo guided by the recommendations

which it may receive from this Council. Tt will probably bo convenient that such recommendations should specify tho proportions in which such surplus as may be actually found to bo available should be divided. If this course bo adopted, a statement will bo prepared, at the commencement of each month, showing the receipts to the credit of the County of Westland account during the preceding month, and the disbursements required during the month then current for interest and sinking fund, and for the authorised expenses of Government. The balance remaining will be at once distributed in the proportions you may have previously specified. In fixing these proportions, a distinction may well bo drawn between receipts accruing from gold duty, Customs' duties, and other brunches of the ordinary revenue, and those arising from the sale of the wusto lands of the Crown. I trust it will be considered an essential principle, that of the latter revenue, the larger proportion should be expended in the Road Districts, and even in the very locality in which it has arisen. Upon the coming into operation of the " County of Westlaud Act," tho wharves and river banks at Hokilika and Greymouth were in such a condition 1 , owing to recent floods, that immediate steps had become indispensable to avert serious and irreparable damage. In this emergency, nnd ponding the meeting of this Council, to whom tho decision in theso matters properly belongs, I took upon myself to authorize tho disbursement of such sums of money as were absolutely necessary to secure the above object. The expenditure has, however, been kept within the narrowest limits, and has now all but ceased. Having been advised that it is necessary to publish a Gazette for the County of Westland in order to give validity to certain documents, which, before tho separation of this district, from Canterbury, woro required to bo published in tho Government' Gazette of that province, I have takon tho necessary steps for this purpose. I trust however that future legislation will enable us to avoido the expense which this publication involves. As I luivo already stated, the Act by which the County of Westlamd lias been created was passed under circumstances which render it probable that amendments in several of its provisions will be found necessary in a future session. You will probably wish to abstain from expressing any opinion on the character and extent of thee amendments until you have had some experience of the working of the Act as it stands, but 1 am instructed to state that when this lias been effected the Government will bo glad to be furnished with such recommendations as your local experience and your knowledge of the peculiar circumstances of this district may induce you to offer.