▁for ▁a ▁road ▁link . ▁Dob son ▁settled ▁on ▁the ▁route ▁that ▁had ▁previously ▁been ▁discovered ▁by ▁his ▁son ▁Arthur , ▁and ▁construction ▁of ▁this ▁route ▁over ▁Arthur ' s ▁Pass ▁started ▁shortly ▁there after . ▁The ▁road ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁paid ▁from ▁income ▁raised ▁on ▁the ▁gold fields , ▁but ▁West ▁Co aster s ▁object ed ▁to ▁this , ▁as ▁they ▁saw ▁much ▁more ▁need ▁for ▁public ▁works ▁on ▁the ▁West ▁Coast ▁itself . ▁Out ▁of ▁this , ▁a ▁separation ▁movement ▁formed ▁on ▁the ▁West ▁Coast . ▁In ▁parallel , ▁people ▁in ▁Gre ym outh ▁pet ition ed ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁for ▁their ▁region ▁to ▁be ▁an nex ed ▁to ▁Nelson ▁Province . ▁The ▁H ok it ika ▁pet ition ▁was ▁granted , ▁and ▁West land ▁County ▁was ▁established . ▁ ▁History ▁Parliament ▁passed ▁the ▁County ▁of ▁West land ▁Act ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 7 , ▁and ▁the ▁county ▁came ▁into ▁force ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 1 8 6 8 . ▁The ▁ten ure ▁of ▁the ▁five ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁West ▁Coast ▁on ▁the ▁Can ter bury ▁Provin cial ▁Council ▁finished ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁December ▁ 1 8 6 7 : ▁Edmund ▁Bar ff ▁and ▁Con rad ▁Ho os ▁for ▁the ▁West land ▁elect or ate , ▁James ▁Bon ar ▁and ▁Michael ▁Albert ▁Cass ius ▁for ▁the ▁H ok it ika ▁elect or ate , ▁and ▁John ▁Arthur ▁Wh all ▁for ▁the ▁Gre ym outh ▁elect or ate . ▁The ▁legisl ation ▁gave ▁the ▁Governor ▁the ▁power ▁to