THE PROPOSED DIVISION OF THE COUNTY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1873, 21 June 1888, Page 2

THE PROPOSED DIVISION OF THE COUNTY.

A meeting of ratepayers, requisitioned by the Wakanui Road Board, was held at Netrlande laat evening. There were about fourteen or fifteen present, and Mr M, Bruoa was voted to the chair. The meeting wsb called for tho purpose of elioiblng the ratepayers' opinion In regard to the resolution recently paaaed by the County Coanoil affirming the desirable* ness of dividing the County and abolishing Road Boards, The Chairman briefly introduced the subject to ba considered. Mr J. Megson moved— •" That while it may be advisable to divide the County, yet, m the opinion of this moating, it would be impolltio to abolish the Road Board?, for by bo doing we Bhbuld be deprived of looal control ; we would recommend that the present Coanoil he abolished, and that the Chairmen of Roctd Boards form the Cannot l , and it is expedient that the Counties Aot bo so amended as to glva all the powers of the present Council to a Council constituted of Chairmen of Road Boards, and re relegate all works of a looal nature to the Road Boards." Tn speaking to his motion, Mr Megaon Bald there were several anpeotc of the question to be considered, if the Road Baarda were abolished he did not think there would be any great saving In the o fit of administration, and lc addition the ratepayers would lose the local control they now possessed. He expressed hlmßolf m favor of a Council composed of Ohairmsn of Road Boards, but an amendment m the Aj}t would be required before a body s > constituted could properly exorcse ita functions. II the Council were ao f >rrxol it might mccl once m say every three months, and attend to nutters of general interest, suoh as the head works of tho water ruoea, bridges, and Charitable Ald,,whiU work of a looal nature would bo deali with by (he respective Road Boards, Eaoh district could best attend to ita looal affiirs. Supposing tho Road Boards to be abolished what sympathy oould thai diatrlst expect from tho representatives ot the Council of diatant parts of the County, Mr C*rr seconded the motion, and fully endorsed Mr Megson's remarks. He thought it would be advantageous to, the ratepayers if the present Council were b, token up. Mr Lill, referring to the remarks made by Mr HJmes, m moving tho resolution m the County Pounoil, ridlouJed the Idee of a groat saving being effeoted by the abolition of the Road Boards. Mr Holmoi had entlmatvd the saving at from £ISOG to 1 2000, or £1000 to £}500, be" (Mr Llll) had forgotten which. Now there wore five working Rosd Boards m the County, and taking their average working oat at £150 per annum, the total was £760. The Coanty Council oost more than that, and if two Councils wore formed, each would oost that sura, or £1500 for bcti. Where did- the savlrg oorno m 1 If thoy were to save £1500 it oould only bo by tho Councils getting their work dono for nothing. He did not think it wleo to abolish the Road Boards, If suoh were done provision should be made for tho ratopiyera to meet the Council annually bo that they might obtain any Information I hoy desi'ed 88 to the work that had boen transacted. The ratepayers oould not do that now and had no chock on the Council. It was trne that tho latter had to publish its balancesheet annually, but th. t wan ao involved as to be incomprehensible to outsiders, and he donbtod If (he Councillors themselves oould undi-rotand it. There was another objection to tho proposal : it was contemplated dividing each of the proposed Counties into nine wards. He supposed tho Wakanui Road dlatrlot would form about one ward. Under the Road Board ono portion of the district pnld a rate of ji, and could do' wi h more, while that ponton they were m only paid jfl. Jf they wore j jinod together In one Jirge riding ft was probable that a rate of gi rvar tbo wholo would be imposed, whioh would bo ur>j mt to thouo living on the light land. Mr Lill revlewod at oonsiderable length tho work of tho County Councili m the piat, to show that it was n>t to the ratepayers' interest that the road boards should bo abolished and tho control of all local affairs vested m the Council. He was In no way biassed m his •opipion Jjeoa.usy Jje wbs 8 a member of a ros4 b9 R F d > * n ** )jf it could |)o shofc/n to him ***' " lfl dotofZ my jrl^h Mo boards would be for tho beneGt oi iLo ho wou'd gladly enpport such. Mr Parker said that the County Cnunoil was too expensive a body and ho was m favor of i.ts abolition, All tho bonefit he hod rroaiyed from It waß the waior-r»oe, for whloh ho had woll paid, booaaab tho firot tlmo thoy toxed him the amount wub within two BhlJllngs of tho oost of tho rgpo. Mr Lloyd aak^d what would bo the poultion In togßrd to Iha wa\BT-raceß should a Council bo formed of tho oha>men of road b.arda. 'j'ho pooplo Hying near tho hllladid not require tho water ao muoh as thoso who wero near the sea, end supposing they who lived In chat district wore In a diilioulty m regard to wator, ' would their roproaentativo have suQialent weight on the Oonnoll to got their wants ] attended to. The Chairman and Mr Megeon ox plained that there would be no difficulty on that ecore, beoauso the o«se would be In no wise different to what It Is at present. Each road board would have Its representative m the same way that eaoh riding now had, After a few further remarks the motion wst put' to the meeting and carried uusnltuouaiy. "' ' A vote of thanks to the ohafr oo^oladed | (be meeting.