The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1879

Dunstan Times, Issue 879, 21 February 1879, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1879

Beneath the rule ofimen- eVtitoly JVKsdS? PEN is MIGHTIER than the SWORD.

\ — aj'h >.■?/•• ti-j/y-% rrt-i , Uf the rainy questions that have cropped up from time to time during the somewhat short existence of the County system has been, whether a County can exjoend any of It’s reVehuT’outsl<le {(s own boundaries. On a special case, submitted to the Attorney General, as to whether the County of Bruce could legally expend any of its rates in bridge wliiolj ir within the Clutha County, the opinion of that authority is that it can. Wo may now therefore fairly assume the question is settled once and for all. At the last sitting of the Vincent County Council, Councillor Gieenbank suggested that as the newly erected bridge at Rocky Point was of no use, jtyvcjhtd he as well to remove it, and have it ereoto 1 at the crossing of the Man. uherikia river at the White Horse Hotel, giving as his reason ; that the crossing was on the main road between the sea board and the interior ; that it was an exceedingly dangerous crossing, ami further; <?hat though tne site was within the boundary of the Maniototo County, it was within a very few miles of the Vincent County boundary. In spite of these reasons, and of many others ‘hj it 1 doubtless could have been urged in its favor, had the question been discussed, all argument was cut short by the somewhat hasty decision being arrived at that it was beyond the power of the County to expend any of its rates outride the boundary. If it is legal for the County of Bruce, the same ru'e must apply to County Vincent, w • therefore would suggest to Councillor Greenbank to table a notice of motion for the next meeting accordingly, and press for a hearing of his argument. At the time when the -uggestion was made we thought it deserved more consideration at the hands of 'he Council than it received, and now after knowing the Attorney General's opinion, we feel assured it did. Upon whom devolves the duty of maintaining the main arterial roads, and the erection of bridges across the dangerous rivers, that intersect them, is a question that n one appears to I e particularly clear upon ; in many instance! the Government have he-m applied to for assistance, amongst which we can instance a grantto the Counties of Tnapeka and Vincent to repair the mam road from Lawrence to Alexandra, we therefore think that Councillor Greenhank’s motion was worthy of a greater amount of consideration than it received, and so that the question may be ventilated, we hope that Cr. Greenbank will act on our suggestion and place a motion on the Order Paper for tho next meeting for the consideration of the question involved.