THE DIVISION OF THE COUNTY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1890, 11 July 1888, Page 3

THE DIVISION OF THE COUNTY.

In spite of the inclement weather, a well attended meeting of ratepayers from all parts of the Longbeach Road Distriot, was held at the Flemington Sohoolhouse on Monday evening, to consider the question of dividing the county into two counties and abolishing the Road Boards ; and also the question of the drainage of the Tinwald— Flemington, and Wheatstone — Waterton districts.

Mr John Grigg presided. The Chairman stated the bueines3 the meeting had been called to consider. It would perhaps be well to first deal with the question of the division of the county and the abolition of Eoad Boards, and he asked for an expression from those present. Alter some delay Mr 'Williams m order to pnt some proposition before the meeting for discussion moved " That this meeting cannot support the proposition to divide the county and abolish the Eoad Boards, because it haß no hopes that any money saving would be effeoted thereby except by not attending to local wants, which are now well provided for by the adoption of the Ward system — the outcome of judioious legislation to meet the requirements of the people. " This resolution he said had originated with the Wakanui Board, and had that day also been passed by the Longbeaoh Board. He considered it expressed concisely the views of those against the proposition of the Council, which simply meant that by the saving of a few pounds a year 'they were to lose that looal control of affairs to whioh they had now been accustomed to for years. Was it not better for the people to have a voice m the management of their own affairs whioh they now had under the Road Board system, than to put the control of those affairs into the hands of a body, who, however, capable they might be could not possibly give that attention whioh looal members now do. Mr S. Chapman seconded the motion. Mr G. Gilmonr said the looal bodies were m that state now that they were keeping their officers on half pay. He considered it would be better to pay a good salary to a good man and have his whole time. The question of dividing the present county into two counties required great consideration, and ehonld be left to the ratepayers for after consideration. He said that ratepayers were now buffeted about between the two bodies, with which there was continual conflict going on, and ratepayers were left m the oold. There was also no necessity for two rating bodies.

Mr T. Taylor moved as an amendment — "That m the opinion of tbiß meeting the time has arrived when the Boad Boards should be merged into the oounty." They bad now two administering bodies, with constantly conflicting interests, and a dual system of 'rating, and as it was not possible to do away with the higher body the Boad Boards should go. Ha had labored Born* time ago to do away with the Council, but had found out his mißtake. With regard to previous meetings that bad been held he did not agree that the chairmen of the Boad Boards Bhoald compose the Council. He pointed out that if centralism did not act they oould again revert to the smaller distriot system. Centralism with regard to Government at Wellington and centralism with regard to looal government at Ashburton, were not similar. They oould have their wants attended to just as well under the proposed system as they 'did now under the Counoil. The Counoil no doubt had been expensive, but were now going m for retrenchment. They had looked well after the wants ot the ratepayers and as it waß time that one body should go, it should be that the Boad Boards be merged into the oounty.

Mr S. Chapman Baid that up to the present be had heard nothing to convince him of the benefit to be received by abolishing Boad Boards. The safeguard of the people, the Ward system, was m force m that distriot and eaoh locality had its member to whom ratepayers could always go for their wants, but if tfcey were going to do away with thia and have only one representative he would be would be about as difficult to find as a member of the Boyal Family. He fully agreed with the cutting up of the road districts, each district had its own particular wants, whioh were no doubt of a different nature to that immediately next it. He would take their own and the Coldstream distriots for example. Their interests were not identioal and it was far more satisfactory as they were now formed. The Council, he likened to a huge tt&chlne which required plenty of Bteam behind to move it. They did not at present give proper attention to local wants coming under their jurisdiction. He could not see how they were going to improve this by tak. leg over the {toad Board work whioh, from bis expsrienoe, was done cheaper and better than the Council's works were carried put. Mr Wm. Anderson seconded the amendment. In his opinion it was time that Boad Boards should be done away with. No satisfaction could be got from them. They did pot attend to looal wants but neglected them. The Chairman said that he failed to see any advantage m the proposals of the Council, pistriots m the County had been out up as suited their own requirements and, like a school boy, dissatisfied with the snips he had oat, they were asked by one sweep of the paste brush to join them together again. The idea was a fad of a few, who did not know what they wanted. He asked the ratepayers were they prepared to give up local government, to trußt to one man to look after their interests ? The matter was one to be seriously thought over. The system now m vegue was one m whioh the money raised m one Ward was spent m that Ward. The ratepayers had the satisfaction of knowing that ; were they prepared to give it up ? (No, ' no.) They would do this if they agreed to the proposals of the Council. If the County were divided they would have offioes, he presumed, m the centre of; the County. Now, on that side of jfce river, it would mean m some out of the gray place, inconvenient to ratepayers. That Boad Board distriot was peculiarly situated, and its wants were not identioal with the pthers. That being so, wquld it be wise for them to join m the amalgamation. He was pertain a large district would never suit the wants of the people. It was drifting baok to the old state of things m days gone by, and what was the result. Eaoh locality, as it grew m population, found that its looal requirements did not have that attention whioh it considered it deserved, the consequence being that it severed itself from the larger body, and was content to pay probably a trifle more for proper looal government. He would take the oounty as now constituted: they had as muoh work as they oould do, m faot were over* worked, and if they took over the Road Board work it would mean a sitting once a week at the least, and that work would be passed to be done of whioh most of them would be ignorant. He considered he was pretty well acquainted with the county, but if the' proposal were carried he was certain he would be unable to properly consider the matter. Works would be left m the handß of the one representative of the distriot requiring it, &ni tb.e other members would be compelled to Vote money m ignorance. Was this a proper Bjßtei£. *he Council was now worked edonpmipally, and the opst' vas a *m"ere bagatelle wjieo distribpted over the large county they now had, He wan perfectly certain that if one body was to undertake the whole of the work of the two they would be very soon applying for severanoe. The tendency of the present time was towards decentralisation. They were now asked to form a system of government opposite to this. That distriot had already suffered from the effects of tbis. It had never had its proper share of rates spent m the district by the Council. As to the alleged clashing of bodies, it was only

where the Counoil had refrained from maintaining..tha.wor^s whioij tb.ey had cngertake'ri. TKe Council's fcrtaotioos were sfriotly laid down' ln Act 'of Parliametft. ' |t'waß k'hard and fast rule, }( a rate was struok, say three farthings m the £, a halfpenny might pc Bpent p general expenses and the remain? log farthing would practically bp left iq the bands of the one representative to deal with. As to two rating bodies not being required, if there was a difference between two six-

penoes. and a shilling he wovld support *ha abolition of one of these bodies.

If they had one £:£ *? would have the ebilling and with the two bodies two sixpenoes. In looking over the remarks made at other greetings made m the county he was of ppinion that' jihose expressed' jjy Mr Megson It Hewlandfl and Mr Stitt at Upper Asbburton were the common Benae view of question. Mr Chapman enquired if Road Boards were done away with what would be the rating powers of tho Council. The Chairman said the Council, where road and town districts were m foroe, could levy a rate of three farthings m trie £, out I! 'Jlt'l were ho road and town distriots they had the {>ower of I evying a six farthings rate. The amendment was Rut to the meeting §pd pnly £ye meting for it { waa lost by a'oonexderable majority. The motion was then gut jsft c*ni«a bqbq YQUcg agdioßt it,