THE MINISTERIAL VISIT.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 19 March 1880, Page 2

THE MINISTERIAL VISIT.

i t -, f - ,^ — . — r , * \ The foTl6W»aa is i^continuMhn of out rerovt of the BpeeelwMi at 'he banquel given to tbe Minister of Public Words at Boefton. Fo'lowing bin Honor Jade;? We«ton, 'tj resnondin* to ibe tout ol " 'be Bpqcli nod Bar " Mr S. M. South ssid. be could h«rdJy b pc to tespon J torho ioast so efficiently ss Hi* Hii'.or lin-l d •n' I , ' ir. nevertbe!e?«. «s reprise ifi 'g *.li<* B-.r on 1 1» *• *■• or>«!i«»o r ». '• c rouM not bu» feel proul of tbe bonov w!ii<?b had been >\on<> !» : m in j.'inin.-f 'its n -me with the *o««t. As l?vsr>\en* of to La» Soc : iiiy of W<j«lhul, h«* nodd sit.a in ha humble opinion tb rt B» <• o? th<? West^Ccast would compare farftarahl,-' w'th 'tirnt 6 f any »irt of N«w Zealand. Vbe members of the Bar here wr-re n U'tit»>d body, and careful to prescre tbe bor-or «nrl inte^rUy of f'eir. pvo n es«i<n ?*or him «elf b« ff! t r^ry r .';>'iSf»<l n* M». h'-tior tbijt bad be»n done him in irinfiue ]vm t>> be present «>n Urit p«(*a*i » to assist in the welcome to !he Mini'tnr o ?>'Wio W^rk*. 'or be felt sure t'i«t «nel a visit could not. but bp a( I ended with yory ffVAat ndv".nt!»sie« to this norti .n of hp Cf!o/>v. Tt could no* be overlooked tit-*' there wu? <»<m»'lerablf» d^r fos«ion it l.ha nrfl"pnt time over the wb«1o of Hie W«-at Coa«'. an ' 1™ tberfl ntasf b? sonip a«s?i:?nsble oaus?. Property bad jj-.nf down in va'ue '» some nlac?is lo an alar • 't'ju fX'eot— »n fact'in somi> localities be could nauiß. was almost vilue^ss, anO tbi" must be traceable «o some euise, and whatever that cause might he there was no doubt it oould be remold, if not .iltogetiier, '"n seat part »»y bo G^rern men*, There wt"e bonndle^ sources o( wealth in this part of the Colony, and tbe wisdom of aiding their development was bajond all question. He, therefore, regarded tbe visit of the Minister as an auspicious omen, "and trusted that it would be productive of speedy rcsuUs., He Again thanked the company for tbe honor done biro. Hit Honpr Judge Weston proposed

"Tbe County Councils of the West Coast," coupling with tbe toast tbe name of Mr Brennan, Chairman of tbe Inan*« gabua County. His Honor s«id : Thetoast is subsfantially that of ." Ourselves " for our individual interests are so intinia'^lj 'Jentifa'ed with the system ol !«cl Governm?nt that we cannot but feel the strongest re^rd for their welfare. In all •ofuraanities those who take upon themsel»es the burden of jrubiio duties are especially entitled to thanks', hut more pMrtlcnlarly so tbose wiio undertake tbe ■ask in u)inin(;con)mut\i f ips, for tVy have d (lisulties to battle witu and »nals to cncmaler from whioli public mfn in oldfr oud more settled plnees are cowp»raiivdly free. The members of rbe County Comieil hetf bnve fntwtiiiied tin Minister tbis eveniofr in * mannpr en» titliOi? them to tl.e Ut'-.'OSt, lhhiiks. but tlierV h somethiiiK m..tc thin m^rp thanks iiu«' to them. Il cannot be doubti-d tUn.t tbe County Councils on tbe West Coasi have but rery lirnted scope. The deraandsttpofi their energies are numerous enough, but. tlie resources placed at their disposal are quite inadr-quate to their capabilities for usefulness, and it, there* fore, becomes a question whether they ought n^t to be relieved of some of tbe hoevuT obligations wh>h are at present oast ir..^n them. Th»« «?o<t of msintniiiinp; artpi'itl ro-'.-U is no dmib* & beary drain upmi local resources, [heso roads are used in common I y tbe inha itants of all Counties, and, theret'»ro. partHke esseutii'lly of the nalure nf colonial works The I'nnnßnbu.i C->unty ; « no doubt a lar^e ciituHbutor to the *Sf< nor»?l revenue, and being a muoh yc-unger cfmtmuit'y than any other on ti-e W^si Coast, lias, therefore, works to perform sucb as in past tiro* 1 werß eart-ipd nut either by the Genera' or Prnvine ; »! Governments, an<l for (bis reason in, I think, entitled to some kind of exceptional consideration. These are questions which have s'rtick me aa a stronger, f>nd I am ah>\ to have bad nn opportunity of publicly ststfng them, hK? 4 !!!?;? I cannot nvoi \ thinking tliat tbiu County ha* renV>y more thrown upon it t T nn it t?«n bpsf. Lo«ii|ijj at the question ■.in 'bis. 'kht th. n, end sewn^ liow.'jmueb tbe Count 7 Coi»n<':i bero has acenroplisbed in the f^ice of U»p difficulties of its position. ! think 'hey are deservins of more than ordinary praise. Tlmt the County is rich in natural resources has already been made amply apparent, and it can be relied, I think, that any extended assistance granted to this County could not but be attended witb very great advantage, not only locally but to the Colony generally. (Cheers.) The County Chairman, in responding on behalf of the Council, said be cculd not but feel gratified at the remarks of His Honor, who bad fully set forih the real position of the County. The Council felt that tneif actions were crippled- for tho want of m^ana. There were works to bo undertaken here such 8s no other County en the West Coast bad to deal frith. Here settlement w;is new and everything bad to be done to open it. On nil sides they were beset by claims for etnenditufc, the reawnn'uleness of which the** knew but too well, bnfr tbe fund.i at tbeir disposal are «o iiniiiad *h*t oil bnt 'be most prp«s!nj» dprnanf!" bad to bp di«'■■orded. Asf»r»s ('»<* Council itse'f wgs conccvnpil, he lhf>ns:V. i' was a faiil? rcr>reSfin f atiye b^dv, col he '*as pr«uJ to s-jy tlist it was fre* from nnv 'mpnhttio'i nf Irkjr.r->ir t n?, or any oth<*r of tbo^e ff'nvi'r ffft»n <•••>!« wbi»h were {•10'Tnn'jmps ..Mi<* *onpnroit*M* of prr.nll iTorcenfi'.if .■» institutions. The latter, however, was {'ftei* «H but a sort of npga»» 'ive rceomm*»nfhtion. but be could pro* mi«e the Mini«ler of Puhlin Works that if tbe Government would but draw ha<'lr ! the public por*e strtnis a little, any in. cre*>«ed sn'Tsi'dv that nveht be granted w^uli be ejcnendflil with tbo upmost prniepcc. Tbp Vf'n'ster of PuH'lf *Vorks bad mow acquired n fnir know'pd p of otu* p-isi'KJ", and ?i?» ('"» spo- kcr) W"iiM r» innlij 5h hv px >res-<ioa a 'opp t!»"t Mii» vi^it wful.l b" profiu-jn're of «ome real bpn'fi! to the County. Agfiin th-'nlrn? bis Honor for bis commpnd<i»v)n fif t">e O^un 11 '!, nnd *br tb«> forcible ?i?ht in vb'ich be bn! r-lic^d tin- o.'sitioi o ? tbe Cou^'y, lio would now declare tlie pro • eeedings »*■■ an end.