The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit MONDAY, MAY 19, 1884. The County Council and the Road Boards.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1257, 19 May 1884, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit MONDAY, MAY 19, 1884. The County Council and the Road Boards.

The resolutions which have been j passed at several meetings of the ratepayers in the County in favor ®f either , the abolition of the County Council or its t e-organisation, so that it shall henceforth consist of the Chairmen of the Road Boards instead of elected members as at present, seem to have been carried after very little deliberation, and with but a dim appreciation on the part of those who supported them of their real effect, if put into force. It seems to have been taken for granted in every instance that the Council was a mere superfluity, and that if it were abolished the whole of the money now expended upon its staff and otherwise would be saved. We recently showed, by a plain statement of facts, the utter fallacy of this assumption. There are, however, other equally important points to be considered. How, for example, could the water-races be managed hy the Road Boards ? In a dry season, or at harvest time, when water is pre- .' cious, what chance would the lower 1 proprietors have of getting their fair share of the water if the headworks and upper races were under the control of a different Road Board to that within whose jurisdiction their own lands were situated ? It would only be human nature that the Road Boards controlling the upper races would take care that their own ratepayers were supplied before the ratepayers of adjoining districts. Then, too, it would appear very undesirable to place the dams and headworks under the charge of the Road Boards. They are obviously works which should be under the personal charge of a competent engineer and the control of a central body, and that body, whether it consisted of Chairmen of Road Boards, or of members elected by the people, must necessarily be provided with funds to enable it to perform its functions.

There is, likewise, the important question of protective works lor the Ashburton river to be considered. The residents along some parts of the banks of that river are keenly alive to the fact that such works must be constructed, and will have to be of a tolerably extensive nature before completion. The Road Boards possess no powers to execute such works, and if they did we fail to see how they could execute them more cheaply than the County Council. In point of fact the county machinery is the cheapest which could be used in this"matter. Up to a recent period, where river works of any magnitude had to be constructed, the costly machinery of a Board of Conservators had to be employed, but an Act of the General Assemblj, lately passed, expressly empowers County Councils to perform the functions of Boards of Conservators, with the view of saving expense. ■ Now this is an aspect of the County Court cil versus Road Boards question which, so far as we can discover, has not been discussed at all St the meetings which have so hastily rushed to the conclusion that local taxation would be lightened if the County Council were abolished or its constitution changed. Again, how do the advocates of the proposed change intend to carry on the County Hospital ? This is. essentially an institution for the bene' fit of the whole county. The building happens to be situated within the limits of the Borough, "but an immense majority of the patients come from the country, and it is perfectly certain that if the County Council were to cease to exist to-mor-row the Ashburton Borough Council would not pretend to undertake the task of supporting the hospital, while it is equally certain that no Road Board would do so. Now, we think it would be a public misfortune if the hospital were closed, and a misfortune which would be felt in every part of the County. We recognise the value of Road Boards, and the excellent work which they have done both in this district and many other parts of New Zealand, but it seems to us that if economy of administration is to be the. sole object sought, without reference to anything else, that object can best be attained by abolishing the Road Board staffs, and consolidating the whole into a strong County administration; a just distribution of the County expenditure in the localities where it was raised being secured by an ample development of the ward system. It appears to be sound policy to strengthen our system of local government, already much too weak, instead of weakening it further, as would be done by either lessening the powers of the County Council, or abolishing it altogether. In point of fact, the questions involved in the controversy now proceeding are both complicated and of great importance, and we trust the ratepayers will give the whole subject a full and dispassionate consideration, and not rush to hasty conclusions.

Mr Wason’s meeting at Chertsey on Saturday evening, which will be found reported at some length in another column, was well attended, an! the speaker was accorded a vote of thanks at the conclusion of his address. In addition to a number of questions the speech was followed by brief criticisms from Messrs Lambie, Wilkinson (2), Hewlings, Grey, Dunn, and Panl, but we regret that out space will not allow us to report the remarks of these gentlemen. We are pleased, however, to note that Mr Lambie, who brings experience and intelligence to the question, has in some measure modified the opinion he expressed at Rakaia in reference to the two local governing bodies. He said that he was not prejudiced in favor of either body ; what he required was efficiency and economy, and he saw no reason why these should not bo attained by the County Council. At the conclusion of Mr Wason’s meeting at Chertsey on Saturday evening, the local friends of Mr John Gray, lata station master at Chertsey but now promoted to Wakari, met in the schoolroom, and Mr Walter Wilkinson, on behalf of a large number, of subscribers, presented Mr Gray with a very complimentary address and a purse of sovereigns, which the re cipient acknowledged in a suitable manner.

Two funerals took place at Ashburton yesterday afternoon, namely those of Mr W. R. Boyle and the unfortunate victim at Orrall, Thomas Fahey, The procession in each case was a long one, and the large number of people who followed the remains of Mr Boyle to their last resting place proved the respect felt in regard to the deceased gentleman throughout the district.

Tho Mount Somers Road Board met ai

the Road Boar 1 office, Mount Somers, ou Satmday. Mr W. 0. Walker was elected Chairman. The Returning Officer reported the o'eotion of Messrs Edsou and Mcßae as members of the Board The Clerk was directed to apply to tho Rangitata Road Board for half cost of shingling the boundary road near Anama. _ The Overseer submitted an estimate for diverting storm water near to McLeod’s, and reported that Messrs Smith, hide, McGregor and Maofarlane had each subscribed L 5 towards tho work. It was resolved to apply to the County Council for a contribution. Mr J. C. Ball was appointed Hate Collector, and directed to advertise that rates must be pai lat once. It was determined in future to meet on tho first Monday following the County Council meetings. On the motion of Mr Poacho it was resolved—“ That the County Council be requested to instruct their Engineer to have an extended survey of main road up Ashburton Gorge made, and make application under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act before June 30th next in respect to same.” Tho Board then adjourned.

Tho second sixpenny entertainment in connection with -St Stephen’s Church will be given to-morrow in tho schoolroom at 7.30 p.m. By an advertisement appearing in another column, the electors of Ashburton are advised not to pledge their support to any particular candidate until it is known who are going to contest the vacant seat. A meeting to discuss the question has been convened by Mr 0. W. Purnell for Thursday evening, in the upper room of the Town Hall buildings. A trotting match of 3 miles for L2<> aside, between Mr J. Hay’s Wallaby and Mr Physick’a Kate, was decided on the racecourse this afternoon. Kate jumped away with the lead, and never being headed won easily. Wallaby pulled up before completing the distance. A Hurry Scurry was then run, with the following resultMr Quill’s b m Idalia (Dunn), 1 ; Dr Leahy’s b g U it (Smith), 2 ; Mr Lewis’ % m Jennie (Owner), 3. Four ran.

A serious accident occurred to the goods train on the Waikato line on Saturday. The following are the particulars so far as known. The train left Auckland at 620 in tho morning, and on turning one of the curves hear Fukekohe. a cow was seen drinking from the mill stream alongside the railway. As the train approached the cow made one bound on to the line, and before the driver could stop the train the engine was thrown off the line, carrying with it a couple of empty trucks. The driver, Leonard Kear, succeeded in jumping out on the right-hand tide, and in falling struck his head asainat a sleeper, but was not, however, seriously injured. The stoker, J. Robertson, bad also a miraculous escape. He fell with the engine headlong into the swamp, but, strange to say, suffered no injury. A report was circulated in town that Fisher, a butcher, and Hornsby, an ironmonger, who were passengers by the (-.rain, had been seriously hurt, but the Traffic Manager stated that the report is false. It appears that Hornsby was thrown from one end of a carriage to the other twice. He was badly shaken, though not otherwise hurt. Mr Fisher was also knocked about a good deal, and received one or two cuts on the face. A young nwn named Grey had a very narrow escape He was riding on the platform, and was thrown a distance of more than twenty yards, falling rather heavily. The passenger trains, both up and down, were delayed for half-an-honr at Mercer ia consequence of the accident. Holloway’s Ointment and Pilis. — Gladj Tidings,—Some constitutions have a tendency to rheumatism, and are throughout the year borne down by its protracted torture. Let such sufferers bathe the afflicted parts with warm brine, and afterwards rub in this soothing Ointment. They will find it the best means of lessening their agony, and, assisted by Holloway’s Pills, the surest way of overcoming their disease. More need not be said than to request a few days’ trial of this safe and soothing treatment, by which the disease will ultimately be completely swept away. Pains tthat would make a giant shudder are assuaged without difficulty by Holloway’s eiasy and inexpensive remedies, which comfort by moderating the throbbing vessels and Gaining the excited nerves.— Advt. August Flower. —The most miserable . beings in the world are those suffering from dyspepsia and liver complaint. More tiian 75 per cent of the people are afflicted with these two diseases and their effects; such as sour stomach, sick headache, habitual costivencss, palpitation of the heart, heart burn, waterbrash, gnawing and burning pains at the pit of the stomach, yellow skin, coated tongue and dis-agreeable-taste in the mouth, coming up of food after eating, low spirits, etc. Go to your druggist and get a bottle of august flower. This valuab’e medicine has cured thousands and thousands of sufferers, and is known in all civilised countries. Two doses will relieve you. It costs only 3s 6d a bottle. Sample bottles, 6d.— [Advt,