THE NEW ZEALAND COUNTY COUNCILS' CONFERENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2168, 12 September 1895, Page 17

THE NEW ZEALAND COUNTY COUNCILS' CONFERENCE.

A DELEGATE'S CRITICISM.

At Friday's meeting of the Taieri County Council a lengthy report was real from Cr Snow, with reference to hia visit to Wellington as a delegate of the council at the recent County Councils' Conference. The principal .portion of the report is ns follows :—: — On reaching Wellington on Wednesday morning I found the conference was sitting. I took my place among the delegates, and found the order paper had been dealt with down to the motion, •• Land Act." I had the pleasure of recording my vote for and against several motions ; bat in my opinion all that has been done will end in smoke. Nothing will be gained by this conference. It is evident to me that the Premier looks upon it as in opposition to the present Government ; and I believe from what I heard in "Wellington that, in tpaking of the conference, he f aid, " One Parliament in New Zealand was, he thought, Bwfficient." I think sj, too. I don't know who it wm that suggested the holding of these conferences. Whoever ha may be, if he had in view at the time the waut of a training college for asjiriug politicians, he ould not have done better than to call these meetiDgs. I have had the honour and pleasure of Bitting at this council table for many years, but not one of the present or past councillors is a patch on some of the delegates I met. ITalk ! Some I would back to speak for a week if they got any encouragement. More thau that, I have realised this fact — that the conference is not a conference of tha, representatives cf the counties of New Zealaud. It ii a conference of the delegate? representing the counties of the North Island. The membership, from what I could make out, waß six from the the north to one south ; and more, our interest* are nofc identical I feel quite pleased that 1 hava had the pleasure of taking part in this conference and noticing (ne part f&ken by the delegates. I will now :um up the tetnlts likely to ensue from the deliU-ratious If &is august body. In my opinion thcac eou-

ferences are a hug.i mistake. In the first place the coufereDca I atfone'e:! does cot represent the ccuntias of N> w Zrr.lnnd ; it represents the count'es of the N.r r -h Island. Our interests and theirs aro not skin. The representatives of the North Island talk of gum and timber ; we of the south talk of gra»s, wool, and grain. If this sort of thisg is to be continued I would suggeet a conference of delegates from tbe countios oF the 8cu l .h Island. Let the North do ?6 thty like. As I havo naid our interests and theits are not akin ; and more, I ft el this : that the Premier is qiite right (if he is corrtc'ly reported) in saying that oue ParliamrfDt in N'jw Z.'alaud is q'lito enough. I lcok upro this conference as au out ido show. What right have we to dicta'e to the Government what to do P It is in my opinion presumption on our part to do to. Had we tho Local Bo lies Acb before us we might bave given the Government oar experience of the old acts, but to dictate to the Government what they should do in the future i>, in my opinion, out of place. And, further, I consider that it is almost au iusult to our representative! to send a delegate to Wellington to do what they can do without expense. It is the fi-st timo I have had the honour to represent this council as a del'ga*:e to these conferences. I can assure you ihit it will be the last on the same lines. I m\y add that it was freely stated in Wellington that the Local Government Bill would not be introduced while the Counties' Conference was sitting. The sooner the meeting closed the toaner the bill would be bought down In conclusion, Jeb me add we arranged with the Extcutive Co:iiUi>tu.e of the confofenca to send copies of the new bill to tach of the coanty councils as soou as it was circulated. We also asked the Government not to let the bill go further than the second reading this eejsion. We also a^ked the Gjvernment to alter the present aofc re (special or general rates, SO that whtn a poll is taken for or againut a rrajority of tho votes cast should bs suffioieut. Whether the Government will take any notice of our request or not remains to be seen. My opinion is that the Government will not take the slightest notice of anjthiug we have suggested. ... Mr Carnoross, our member, was very kind, and anxious to assist in any way he could. I <aka this ovport unity of thanking him for his kindness to me while in the Empire City. ... I may also add that I had the plensure of heniug what is called "the big guns of the House" speak —viz , Captain Russell, Messrs Seddon, Reevea, Ward, T. Mackenzie, Sir R Stour, and Dr Newman. I give Ctptain Russell first place. After him Mr Seddon. If ever thore was to bs a second Bonaparte, from his at vie I would, if called upon to select fcuch a man, name " Richard." . . . There is no doubt in my mind but tbat he is a kader — snd a gooi one. He may not be on the right track, but he thiukj he is, and that is quite enough for " Richard." Long may he live ! — if he will only keep the pot boiling so that it does not boil over and scald his assistants— is the wifh of yours truly. The Chairman said it seemed to him very much as if it was arranged that thf conference was cue for representatives of the North Idaud only. The visit of Cr Snow to Welliugtoa, however, would have served a purposo. It eh'jwed the trifling nature of this coi forence. If Cr Suow had not gone to Wellington they would not bave known that. It might ba that the conference was an interference with Parliament, bat he did not think that Parliament should look upon it io that light. Ho would imve — " That our delegate be thanked for the pains he has tak«n on our behalf, and also for his very exhaustive report." Cr Hauiuson seconded the motion, which was cirried uuaumously.