THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

West Coast Times, Issue 97, 9 January 1866, Page 2

THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

■ , The Legislature of the Provinco opened its session tit Christcburch on the 21st Novombor last. The two nowly elected representatives for the Gold fields took their seats somo days afterwards, and have not been disturbed, although the Provincial Solicitor thought proper at an early date to obtain tho appointment of a Solect Committco of the House to report upon tho question of qualification, His Honor tho Suporiutendeut, in his opening address, referred to tho western district of the province in terms that havo been strongly animadverted upon. He expressed his satisfaction that the repeal of the now Provinces Act had placod it beyond the power of Westland to claim Separation as a political right, but iuCimated, with what has been oharaoterisectnaa somewhat gratuitous graciousness, that the Government would not regard that circumstance as a reason for refusing to recognise such propor and reasonable claims as might be established by the district. Ho extolled the Government for tho assiduity with which it hud sought to develope tho resources of Westland, and proceeded to indicato the policy which would bo pursued towards it for the future. Of this tho main featuro was the construction of a dray road, as proparatory to a railway aoross tho intervening range, iv order to enable the settlers and minors to derive tbnir mpplies from tho Ohristohureh nnd Lyttolton merchants, rathor than by direct imports by their own harbors. Hi* Honov etatod thftt through th» great tfnglawlpg

difficulties prowuted . by tho country through which this road would pass, the cost of it would bo undoubtedly heavy, but tho cost would bo iv a great measure thrown upon the Westland revenues. In addition to this significant announcement tho Superintendent intimated that an amendment would bo proposed to bo mado in tho Waste Land Regulations of tho Provinco in ordor to obviate tbo toohnioal diffioulUes in tho way of the salo of Crown Lands in Westland. The draft of the now Regulations has not yet reached us. KKI'RESENrATION OF WKSTUND, Two members, Mr. Proaser and Mr Barff at prcsont sit for the West Coast dislrist in tho Provincial Council. They do so in virtuo of an=Aot introduced in the General Assembly and carried, by Mr. J. E. FitzGorald of Christchurch. A moosure to amend the representation, has been brought in by tho Provincial Government, and will probably pass tho Provincial Council, conferring threo additional members on the distriot. Tho miners will also have the right of representation in tho General Assorably, . the elections for which are expected to take place in the course of a fow weeks. lUTS WKST COAST ESTIMATES. One of the most original and incomprehensible documents yot laid on tho table of tho Provincial Council is a statement purporting to set forth tho "West Canterbury Gold-fiolds Account." By some singular process of manipulation the Government show a long balance against the district of expenditure over receipts. They put down, for instance, the cost of tho adminis. tration of tho gold-fields at tho sum of L 12.860 for the threo months onding the 30th Septembor last ; the cost of police for the same period at L 3736 } charges for telegraph at L 3216, and coai of roads L 25,570. Tho first two of theso iloiua aro utterly unintelligible to the public of Westland. They cannot oven understand what ia meant by the "Administration of the goldfiolds," the only item 3of expenditure cbargeablo under that head of which |>hey aro oognizanf, being tho salaries of three or four wardens and their clerks —tho cost of police boing separately classified. Two items arc quite intelligible — • thoso of roads and telegraph — being moneys belonging to Ibis district, but spent not in the endeavor to ex' end tbo local road system so as to render tho auriferous grounds more accessible to the miner, but on tho selfish projoct of cmstniotiug a road across tho South, n Alp 3to divert tho trade of Wostland from its legitimate channel, and give tho merchants of Christchuroh a monopoly in tho supply of otfr markets. Up to our hist dates from Christchurch tho West Const estimates had not been discussed in detail in the Council, although the Minister of Works had inado a spocoh on them which was fully as unintelligible as tho' stutoment of acoounU itself.