LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 429, 31 August 1880, Page 2

LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

To the Editor

Sir, —Member's remaiks in your last issue on the governing bodies I fully endorse, and even go further; the ratepayers of Berard, Wainui, Okains, and Pigeon Bay havo certainly had enough of the two governing bodies ; the other districts, I have no doubt, have the same feeling—that one rate roll is sufficient. Now is the time for action. The Council aro taking steps, and intend shortly to hare a rate roll prepared; let the ratepayers como forward as one man and speak their minds as Englishmen, and at once aßk the Board to merge itself into the Council, or the Council to leave the field to the Road Boards

I believe there may be many things said in favor of the Road Boards: they are easier to get at, the members aro unpaid, and we have five members to represent each district There is no public body that is not liable to make mistakes, but having watched both Council and Road Boards from their infancy I hold they will compare most favorably with the Council, whose whole lifo has been a series of mistakes from building the Council Chambers down to the Balguerio road, which will take all the available funds and spare time they can part with. Mr Armstrong's own words may now very aptly be turned on himself ; he certainly must be getting towards his second calfhood ; he has managed to milk the Council to perfection with no benefit whatever to tho general public. But when the Road Board's calf sucked they got good roads and easy grades. In some instances they may have paid a little extra for it; far better to do that than to keep expending money on the old provincial grades, which in most instances were worse than worthless. Road Board Member says the number of councillors should be augmented by as many mora I would agree with him if there were no paid members, or travelling expenses allowed them. But, Mr Editor, there is one question perhaps you may be able to solve, and that is—What do they do when they meet ? Adjourn for lunch and a nip, have a yarn over the price of wool, enquire who has a line of good Btores or fat cattle for »ale, the shortness of money, and the depression of trade, take a constitutional nap, pass a few accounts, and adjourn for a month. I should like to know what they meet for ; business they do little or none ; the whole thing appears to me to be a perfect farce.

Ratepayers, shoulder arms and stand like men against any more local taxation. Hoping some more able pen than mine will tako this matter up, and some of our lending men call a public meeting to discuss the bent course to adopt, I bid you adieu for the present.—l am, etc.,

COCKNEY.