West Coast Times. TUESDAY, SEPT. 3, 1867.

West Coast Times, Issue 606, 3 September 1867, Page 2

West Coast Times. TUESDAY, SEPT. 3, 1867.

If Mr Prosser is returned to-day, and the Goldfields Secretary rejected by the electors, the fact will read public men a lesson which it is to be hoped they will not be quick to forget. There was no object for which the Westland members, witlgjut the exception of one single man amongst them, so constantly and perseveringly fought through two sessions of hard struggle, as the representation of this district in the Executive Council by the presence in it of a responsible Secretary. In fighting for this end they had every reason to believe they were carrying out the wishes of thair constituents. In every public appearance they made on this side, they were cheered to the echo whenever they told the story of their unremitting efforts to secure this great constitutional reform. And no man took a more leading part in demanding this measure than Mr. Barff, who is now most active in his endeavors to divest the office of Goldfields Secretary of all the proper guarantees of political responsibility. Mr Bonar is a member of the Executive Council, aud as such is invested with larafe powers. It has been held that his appointment is illegal, no provision being made by the " Executive Council Ordinance " for the presence of a Goldfields Secretary in the Cabinet. This is not the time to enter into that legal argument. He is a member of the Cabinet. He holds the position which Mr Barff always joined with his colleagues, in demanding that some Westland man should be appointed to hold. What conceivable motive is there for endeavoring to relieve Mr Bonar — holding such a position, and exercising such large powers — from the responsibility which can only be fixed upon him by securing his presence in the Provincial Council ? On what principle Mr Barff is acting, in opposing the election of the Goldfields Secretary, and trying to neutralise the very reform he was so largely instrumental in procuring, we cannot understand. That an objection should be urged against the particular selection is intelligible. We believe, for instance Mr Whall as member for Greymouth, objects to Mv Bonav, on

the ground that he is chiefly connected with Hokitika ; aud Mr Kecs, wo ' observe, objects to him on tho ground that he seeks to represent a town constituency, instead of standing for the " district " — for which there is no vacancy. But the appointment itself — the creation of tho office — ought to bo welcomed as an advantage gained. If it is not, there must be a wide depavtuie of public opinion from its old standard, We have no^inteution of following the candidates or their supporters through their lengthy speeches. To-day will be a day of action not of words. But there are one or two points we muse not overlook. Mr Rees said something to the effect that Mr Bouar in associating himself with the present Executive would become the ally of a political Burgess and Kelly. And Mr Prosser said " when the Government found they could not appropriate L 26,000 from the revenue of Westland, they said 'we must get a surplus,' and so they knock of L 20,000 for roads and public works." All this is at utter variance with the facts. It was not the Government, lut the Eastland members acting against the Government, that endeavored to create an artificial Westland surplus to be confiscated under the two-fifths clause. In every division connected with these disastrous reductions on the schedule D, Estimates, the two members of the Government in the House invariably went into the lobby with the Westland members. It was the Government who sought to unao the mischief threatened by the reduc- " tion of the roads item, by proposing to place a sum on the Supplementary Estimates. The proposal to charge the whole interest of the loan upon the Westland Estimates, was not the proposal of the Government. It was resisted by them ; and it was the occasion for the noblest and boldest speech ever yet made in the Provincial Council on behalf of Westland — that of Mr Joshua Strange Williams, the Provincial Solicitor. However greatly Mr Moorhouso may have disappointed the just expectations of the people here, we should not be speaking honestly if we did not acquit his Excecutive, who — whatever their political faults, are high-miuded gentlemen, aud as far removed from the Burgoss and Kelly class as Mr Rees is — of all unjust designs towards Westlaud. But for reasons which we can well appreciate in a gent eman holding office as the chief member of an Executive, Mr Stewart himself would have been glad of the opportunity of taking the post of Goldfields Secretary, aud serving a district with which he has large aud generous sympathies. It is the overwhelming majority of Eastland men in the Provincial Council that are the great enemies of this district. It is the certainty that that majority will be maintained, and that its hostile-* feeling will know no abatement, that justifies the call for Separation. What is true of the Executive as distinguished from the Provincial Council, is that they are too weak to help us, not that they are adverse to us. Mr Bonar's presence in the Cabinet will add gready to tliL'ir political and administrative strength— A»a=%is— preseune inJJbua. legislature will give the people the guarantees theyjhave a right to demand, of the responsible exercise of the large powers he will possess. As to the nonsense that has been talked about his joining tbe Christchurch clique against the interests of his own people ; about his being the paid nominee of a tyrannical Government, and so on ; we will only say as we say about Mr Rees' allusion to the Burgess gang, that it is to be regretted that even amid the excitement of a factious contest, political passions should carry men to lengths so unjustified by principle, truth, or taste.

The poll for the election of a member of tho Provincial Council for tho district of Hokitika takes place to-day, opening at 9 a m. and closing at 4 p.m.

A meeting of packers was held last evening, at the Australasian Hotel, for the purpose of taking into consideration the charges levied at tho Arahura Bridge j Mr Cassidy in the chair. The charges levied having been uuequal and excessive, tho matter had been referred to the Government, and it was resolved that a geuoral meeting of packers should be called on the receipt of an answer from the Provincial Secretary. Votes of thanks to Mr Barff, forsorvices rendered, and to tho Chairman, terminated the proceedings.

Tho following is tho gaol return for Revellstreet gaol for the week ended 31st August :— Admitted, 2 males to hard labor ; 1 male committed for trial. Discharged, 2 males, and 1 to the lunatic asylum. Remaining, 22 males hard labor; 3on remand, and 1 committod for trial. Total, 26.

Tho following is the return for Hokitika gaol for tho week ended 31st August :— Males, aawaiting trial, 8 ; penal servitudo, 5 f hard labor, 36 ; imprisonment, 2 ; default of bail, 3; default of fine, 4j debtors, 7 ; total, 65. Fomalcs, hard labor, 4. Received during the week, 2 males, 1 female. Discharged, niL Mr Carey made his first appearance at tho City Theatre last evening. Tho character portrayed by him being that of Ruy Bias, in the piece of that name. His rendering of the part wus evidently wYsll appreciated by the audience, as he not only received continuous rounds of applause, but was called before the curtain at the termination of tho first act. The other characters wore also well sustained. To-night, " Ruy Bias " will be repeated, and the burlesque of tho " Lady ■of Lyons " played, in which Miss Harriet Gordon will appear in the character of Claude Melnotte, and Mr J. P. Hydes as Pauline.

The "Lyttelton Times" of the 30th ult., says :— " Wo understand tl at a letter has reached Canterbury from Mr Crosbio Ward, up to the 29th June, from New York, from which it is gathered that his health had improved but slightly, if at all, since his leaving Panama."

We direct attention to a notice in another column from tho Municipal Corporation, intimating that persons waßhed out of their habitations by tho encroachment of tho sea, will bo permitted to occupy portions of Cass Square, which will bo pointed out to them by tbe Town Surveyor, but will not be allowed compensation for fheir buildings, or any improvement* they may offect thorcou.