WESTPORT PROGRESS COMMITTEE.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 410, 23 November 1868, Page 2

WESTPORT PROGRESS COMMITTEE.

At the meeting of this Committee on Friday evening, the members present were Messrs Alcorn, Powell, O'Conor, Field, and Milne. Mr O'Conor was in the chair. The ITok. Secretary (Mr Bullen) reported that he had written two letters to steamer companies, on the subject of the intercolonial or interprovincial steamers making Westport a place of call.

Mr Alcorn, as one of the committee by whom subscriptions had been col-

lected for expenses incurred by the deputation to Nelson and otherwise, reported that £23 15s had been subscribed, all of those who had been called upon, with few exceptions, bavin" contributed to the fund. The expenditure had been—expenses of the deputation £9 7s ; the Star account for advertising £1 ; to Mr Baird, for stationery £2 Is 6d ; and to the bell-man 10s. The Chairman said it was his intention to have brought forward the subject of the representation of Westport in the Provincial Council, for which no arrangement hud been made since the resignation of Mr Smith, but he had been informed, since he came to the meeting, that the writ would be issued on an early day. It had also come under his notice that the Groverment had offered to contribute at the rate of £3 per chain, towards river protection works, and that a number of the inhabitants had signed an agreement to pay the balance, whatever that might be. He thought the inhabitants, from the way in which they had come forward, had very well supported the offer. But it was very apparent to them all that the Government they had to deal with was not a paternal one. It was paternal enough, so far as regarded the taking care of cash, but it was very illiberal in the allowance which was made to this district, and he was doubtful if it was not a part of their duty, as a Progress Committee, to rid themselves altogether from the yoke of that Government. For his part, he looked upon the Nelson Gro\ eminent as a dead log seriously impeding their progression. Mr Powell feared that, merely as a Progress Committee, they had no locus standi.

The Chairman was reminded, by Mr Powell's remark, that there had been some talk of a memorial for a Municipality. Did the members know anything of it r

Mr Alcorn thought it was just a question whether the Committee should Lake up the matter and carry it through.

Mr Powell thought it depended more upon the people themselves. Mr Field was very sorry to think that such a thing was contemplated. He had thought the Chairman and Mr Alcorn were in favor of a Municipality, but he was glad they were now in favor of something more reasonable.

The Chairman was so thoroughly disgusted with the Nelson Government that he was disposed to aid the shaking of them off altogether. They had drawn a large revenue from this district, and had done nothing to benefit rhe place. The expenditure had always been so arranged as indirectly to benefit Nelson. It, indeed, puzzled him to know what they did with the revenue. They did not pay it all away in salaries and it was a question whether the district was very much the better of all the salaries that were paid. If any work of a meritorious character were undertaken it became a wilful waste of money. They had a very prominent example of this at their own doors. River works which had been erected disappeared, and they were now told by Mr Blackett, at the eleventh hour, that the river should have been left alone. He had discovered that, after wasting several thousauds of pounds. It appeared to him (Mr O'Conor) that if the government of this part of the province were vested in a local body, people would be enabled to watch the expenditure, and to see that there was not that gross mismanagement which eharacterised the proceedings of the Nelson Government. The people of the district would be in a much better position. They would have more money at command, and —whai was the chief consideration —would make it go further. It was not so much the amount of money, as the mode of expending it, which was the matter of importance. He was, in fact, an advocate of separation—total separation, if they could get it. If they could not, in this district, manage their affairs as economically as they had been managed hitherto, it would certainly be very extraordinary.

Mr Alcorn said that all he knew about the desire for a Municipality was that Mr Hankins had called upon him, stating that he was about to get up a memorial, and that he (Mr Alcorn) had expressed himself favorable to the idea.

The Chairman" did not see why they should not have a Municipality also. He thought the two things would act very well together. Mr Field thought that a Municipality with Separation might do, but, without Separation, it would only be a burden on the people. Mr Powell was of the same opinion. The Chairman could not see that they would be called upon to pay any more than they were paying at present. They paid heavy taxes, yet they were called upon to contribute out of their private means towards

public works which should be done by the Government. At present, if a road or street were made, instead of the expense being distributed over the inhabitants, a few people had to do it, or one individual had to discharge the whole obligation. He thought that anything must be better than the manner in which things were managed at present. It was impossible for it to be worse.

Mr Alcorn said that the vexation was that, if a work were undertaken, some parties would contribute nothing towards it. The Chairman did not at all approve of these voluntary contributions. There were always some who refused to contribute, and left it to the others. The proper way was to enforce it by law. When a local necessity presented itself, everybody should put his shoulder to the wheel, and assist in proportion to his ability. Mr Field could not see tlie propriety of a few persons being taxed to keep up a Municipality in this place. 'They had taxes now, but, under a Municipality, their taxes would certainly not be lighter. The Chairman: And if you had taxes, to what purposes would they be devoted ?

Mr Field : Upon the Municipality, of course.

Mr Powell : It would require, at least, a shilling in the pound. The Chairman : But what will the the money be laid out upon ? Mr Powell : Upon the expenses of the machinerv.

Mr Field : Upon the salaries of clerks.

The Chairman: The salaries of clerks in a place of this kind ..would not be so very heavy. Mr Poweil : A town clerk and rate collector would require a salary of £250. Another thing—we would have the wharves thrown upon our hands.

Mr Humphrey : As the wharf is at Hokitika, where it is something like an elephant—they do not know what to do with it.

Mr Field : Take the example of G-reymouth. Their private estate is sold for public works.

The Chaieman: There is nothing requiring great expense in this town. It is not a new place, requiring engineering.

Mr Alcorn : Except the river bank.

The Chaieman: The Government is bound to do that. If not, we should have to place an embargo on shipping. Mr Powell : I would just as soon go in for a County Council. Mr Alcobn: But you cannot get the Council without a Special Act. The Chaieman : I would like to see the whole of this district—the goldfields—separated from Nelson. We do not require any extensive machinerA County Council would be quite as efficient for our purpose as a Provincial Council. Do you think it would take more officials than are employed at the present time ? Do you imagine that this place is managed free of cost at present ? Mr Powell : There is Mr Harris. Who else is there ?

The Chaieman: Tou forget that the high salaries are paid at the present time in Nelson. These people, although they are away from here, are still deriving the income of this district.

Mr Alcorn : And I notice that the income derived from Westport is much greater than that from Nelson, while the proportion of officials is just the opposite way. The Chaieman : In fact Nelson without the Goldfieids would be like a pipe without a " shank" to it.

Mr Alcorn : The question is, should we take any notice of this proposed memorial, and apply for a Municipality. Mr Powell : I think we should give the subject a little more serious consideration.

Mr Field: Considering that a Progress Committee has been appointed, I think it should emanate from them.

The Chairman : It is the part of any man to initiate it.

Mr Field : I understood it was the object of the Committee to initiate measures for the good of the town. Mr Alcorn: If we can get a person to do this work for us, we might assist and approve of it. Mr Powell : I think it would be preferable to agitate for a County Bill. That would bring the people of Nelson more to their senses than anything else.

The Chairman : "We should put it to the Committee whether we have reason to be satisfied with the Nelson Government or not. If we have not, then appoint a committee to consider whether a Municipality or a County would be preferable.

Mr Alcoun thought it would be well, first to ascertain some particulars with regard to the expenditure in the district ; and he proposed that the statistical sub-committee should bs deputed to obtain the figures for the past six mouths.

Mr Powell seconded the motion, and it was agreed to. It was also agreed that a deputation, consisting of Messrs O'Conor, Alcorn, Humphrey, and Powell, should wait on Mr Greenfield, the Provincial Secretary, with regard to the Giles Terrace track, aud other matters. The Committee resolved to hold their meetings, in future, at four o'clock in the afternoon; and they then adjourned.