REPRESENTATION OF THE GREY DISTRICT.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 576, 4 November 1869, Page 2

REPRESENTATION OF THE GREY DISTRICT.

It has already been reported that Mr W. EC. Harrison has offered himself as a candidate for the representation of the Grey District in the Nelson Provincial Council. Mr Harrison's candidature is commented upon by some writers in the Westlaud papers, but Mr Harrison defends the course he has taken as perfectly consistent with his interest in "Westland, and one of probable advantage to the Grey district. On Thursday last, he addressed the electors at Cobden at Hamilton's Hotel. Considering the extremely unfavorable weather there was a large attendance*

He urged upon the meeting the necessity of uniting the whole population of the Grey Valley under the Government, and pointed out the many advantages that would accrue from it. He was of opinion that the administration of the South-West Goldfields would never be carried out satisfactorily to the population until there was a member of the Executive specially charged with the interests of the goldfields, whose duty it would be to make himself personally acquainted with the requirements of the various districts, and who would be responsible to the Council for his actions. He remarked that he believed that if the Canterbury Government had appointed a responsible Goldfields Secretary, instead of a Commissioner, the separation of Westland would never have taken place. He would, if elected, endeavor to have such an officer appointed. Mr James Payne, formerly in the Commissioner's office at Westport, is another candidate. Mr Payne, in his address says: —I am strongly opposed to the unsatisfactory and unjust levy in the shape of miners' rights, and shall endeavor te have a more general system of issue established for the entire Middle Island • of all monies voted to be spent upon the district, I shall deem it my duty to see that they are so spent, and not withheld as was done last session. The members for the district should be wholly unconnected with other interests, so that their conduct may be free and unprejudiced. Of interests otherwise than in the Grey Valley I have none, and for a fair distribution of its revenues to be spent where raised I shall always strive." Another gentleman, Mr W. H. Boase, abjo announces that he is a candidate for the representation of the district. Mr Boase has been a resident in the district for a period of more than four years, and considers that it has been so inefficiently represented up to the present time, that he trusts that the friends of progress and improvement will give him their support. In connection with this election, a correspondent of the Grey Eiver Argus signing " Traveller " writes : " la present times I grant we ought not to be surprised at anything that takes place ; yet the news just received has certainly stunned a good many —viz., that a policeman has the effrontery to come forward to represent us in the Council." Upon this the Argus remarks : —" "We suppose our correspondent refers to Inspector Franklyn, whose name has been mentioned in connection with the representation of the Buller District, but we have since learned it is intended to king him forward for the Grey District. Such a proceeding is contrary frthe Constitution Act, and we will he surprised if the Nelson Government should wink at such a proceeding. Mr Franklyn ought to resign his position under the Government before he is nominated as a candidate." We believe that our contemporary is wrong. There are certain officers of the Government who are prohibited from offering themselves as candidates, but we do not think the police are included in that number. Of course, Inspector Franklyn or any other officer would have to resign his office before taking his seat, but not before the election. The Times, writing concerning the conflict between Imperial and Victorian laws, arising out of the case of the pardoned Fenians, says the responsibility must rest with those who, after allowing the Colony to assert a right conflicting with Imperial claims, indulged a batch of convicted felons, with an opportunity of bringing this right to trial.