ROAD BOARD CONFERENCE.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 661, 2 August 1876, Page 3

ROAD BOARD CONFERENCE.

The adjourned conference of chairmen of Road Boards throughout the province, convened to consider the propositions of the Ministry as to local government, contained in the Counties and other Bills, was held at 2 p.m. yesterday, at Warner’s Commercial Hotel. Present Messrs Tancred (Spreydon), Westenra (Rakaia), Walker (Mount Somers), Mathias (Malvern), Coup (Eyreton), Lance (Waipara), Higgins (Gust), Bailey (Templeton), Lee (Ellesmere), Manning (Heathcote), Laine (Avon), Buchanan (Little River), Hall (Riccarton), Tosswill (Lincoln), Boys (Bangiora and Mandeville), Cunningham (Ashley), Shadbolt (Akaroa and Wainui), Reed (Ashburton South), Neave (L ke Coleridge), Grigg (Ashburton), and Postlethwaite (Geraldine). Mr Tancred, president of the” conference, occupied the chair. The secretary, Mr Cunningham, stated that the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board had deputed Mr Shadbolt to represent their chairman. The Temuka Road Board had also sent a letter stating that their chairman could not attend, but would bring the matter before the Road Board of which he was chairman. A letter was read from the Pigeon Bay Road Board stating that they considered the county system was not needed, as all that was wanted was to give the road boards more power. They were perfectly satisfied that if this were done the road boards would fulfil all the requirements of the country. The letter proceeded to speak in laudatory terras of the chairman and other members of the conference present at last meeting, expressing an opinion that they were an honor to any country, [Laughter ] The chairman said in accordance with the resolution passed at last meeting, he had waited until he had obtained the Acts, &c, referring to the object of the meeting, and then he had called the conference together. Probably the members of the conference had not had time to study the various documents, but he had thought it better to keep them at the place of meeting and then distribute

them. He had made notes of the points which he thought would be the guiding points in the action they might deem it fit to take. The first matter was that the colony was to be divided into thirty-mne counties, which were described in the schedule. There was a map attached, but he had omitted to bring this with him. The scheme appeared to be that the counties were divided into Ridings, which were for electoral purposes. Seven members for each county was the present limit, so that he expected there would be seven ridings. There was then the scale of votes : up to £SO one vote, and so increasing one vote for each £SO value up to £350, which was entitled to five votes. As regarded the Road Boards, there was a provision, that if one-third of the residents in the road districts signed a petition to that effect, they were merged into the county, which undertook all the revenue and duties of the Road Boards. The county, it seemed to him, would have a great deal of expense as reregarded its official staff. There was a secretary, a treasurer, auditor, valuer, collector, and a chairman. The chairman had a good deal to do, and he would of course expect to be paid. The treasurer had five accounts to keep, and the duties of the office would take all tbe time of one person. The powers of the Council were also defined in the matter of making local bye laws to regulate various matters. Besides this, they would, after a certain time, have to provide for education, and also for police within their boundaries. The revenues of the county would be raised by rates, on rateable property not less that 5 per cent of their letting value, and waste lands would be 5 per cent on value. The revenues would be derived from rates, tolls, licenses, the rents of any property they might possess, grants, &c. Now, with regard to the grants, there was no mention of these, so it was to be expected they came from the consolidated revenue. The grant was to be £2 tor every £1 raised by rate, which was to be divided between the Road Boards and the counties. As far as he could understand the great object in the financial statement was to relieve the Consolidated Fund as much as possible. He would, to show the ideas of the Ministry as to local government, just read an extract from the financial statement. \ The chairman here quoted at length from the financial statement. | He wanted to point out that the Government did not accept the charge of the gaols and police, these were specially placed by the Act after four years on the counties. If the £1 came to the counties, he would like to know what became of the other £1 of locally raised revenue. It went somewhere, but where he did not know. If the Road Boards rated themselves, so far as he saw there was £2 for £1 raised, granted £1 of which went to the counties. It was somewhat confusing, and there was no information as to what became of the £l. The counties were paid out of the land fund, and the Road Boards from the consolidated revenue. The land revenue is to bear twothirds of the education rate, and after a time the General Assembly had to arrange as to the contribution of the counties for this, the gaols, and police. As far as he could see, the main object of the counties was to carry on public works, but they were not left altogether to carry these out, as the Governor could order a road or a bridge which might require repair or maintenance to be done and charged to the county. Having now briefly given them the few notes he had made on the subject,- he would call upon any of the members present to address them. Mr J. N. Toss will said he had a resolution to propose, which he would read. It was as follows ; meeting the proposals of the General Government with regard to the creation of counties are unsatisfactory, inasmuch as they, provide a cumbersome and wholly unnecessary machinery for the carrying out of duties already in part undertaken by Road Boards and the whole of which they are capable of performing efficiently and economically.” He did not propose to detain the meeting long, as several of the members required to go back by the train. So far as could be seen, the functions of these County Boards would be the supervision of local works, charitable aid, police, &c. When one looked over the Bill they saw that all this cumbrous machinery which it was proposed to introduce simply had to carry out the work which the Road Boards now did. They found that thirty-nine miniature Provincial Councils were to be created with thirty-nine miniature Superintendents, who were to be elected by the voice of all the inhabitants of the country, and could not sit in the Assembly. They had the same work far better done by Road Boards, and said that it was perfectly unnecessary. It seemed to him that this was an out-come of the cry of the public against provincialism and for local government, which it appeared to him was rather a cry for an abstract principle. They had already amongst them a system of local government capable of extension and of supplying all their needs. He was of opinion that if the Road Boards were increased in power they would be found to work far better than the thirty-nine County Boards which were to be created, with their army of officials. The Road Boards were quite competent to undertake the work, as they were in fair working order, [and were far better prepared to undertake the control of main roads and other local works than a body like a County Council could be. The latter was deficient in local knowledge, and would come to its work thoroughly unprepared and untried. On the other hand the Road Boards possessed intimate local knowledge of the wants of the district, and the machinery was tried and had been working for some years. Let them give to the Road Boards extended powers, enabling them to deal with various matters, and the public service would bo efficiently performed. Therefore, so far as he saw, there was no need for any such cumbrous scheme as the one proposed. Mr Lance seconded the motion, and spoke strongly in favor of it. Mr W. C. Walker could not assent to the resolution, as he considered that the principle laid down by the County Bill was a right one. They required a medium between the Road Boards and the Government. This had been supplied in the past by the Provincial Council, and now they required a machinery analagous to this to come between the General Government and the Road Board. The Road Boards had done good work in the past, but it had been mainly owing to the fact that they had had the Provincial Council as coming between the General Government and the Road Boards. If they did not have counties they would have to provide a sort of under secretary, which would not be so satisfactory as an elected Council. Mr Boys said that it seemed to him that Mr Walker’s proposition went the length of

dividing the province into two counties, and making the Councils, Boards of Works, which would stand between the General Government and the Road Boards. Mr Reed said that the outlying districts had very much to complain of, and he believed that the county system would be found to work well, Mr Higgins said that the County Bill was most unsatisfactory to him. He could not agree with Mr Walker’s remarks as to the necessity of a medium between the Road Boards and the General Government. There was nothing of the kind needed, and he could not admit that it was necessary that a County Council or a Provincial Council should exist. He believed that the whole machinery of government of the country could go on with the Road Boards and the General Government alone. But while he said this it must not be supposed that he was an advocate for sweeping away Provincial Councils. He was as much opposed to their abolition as ever. The Counties Bill was most cumbrous, and not only that, but it came into collision with the Road Boards at every turn, so that they both could not exist. He believed that the Government would not care as to this Bill becoming law. They did not intend it to be more than to amuse the people ; and the Ministry, who already knew how unpopular it was, would only be too glad to see it thrown out. There was a provision in the Bill by which the Governor, by a mere proclamation, could withdraw any work from the County Council, and do it under supervision of the Minister of Public Works. There was thus in the Bill a great parade of power being given to the Counties when there was a clause which could at any time be used nullifying all the power. Now the Provincial Council never in one single instance dealt in this way with the Road Boards. The Premier, in his financial statement, took great credit for having given large powers of local selfgovernment without reference to Parliament. After first giving these bodies power to tax themselves, if any little hitch occurred the money was at once seized for the consolidated fund. He warmly supported the resolution proposed by Mr Tosswill. Mr Lee also supported the resolution. He thought that, if their Road Boards were given increased powers, they would do the work very much better than the cumbrous system proposed. There was one thing upon which they might offer useful suggestions, and that was as to the boundaries of the counties. At present they were fixed in the middle of the rivers, which was a very debatable matter. In his district they erected a bridge which was left high and dry by the river, and was found to be in their neighbour’s district. Then again, the assessment was most costly, and he thought they should take the Road Board assessments. As regarded the election of the chairman, he thought that they should have the election by the Council itself when in work. He heartily supported the resolution of Mr Tosswill. Mr Postlethwaite advocated an acjjournment of the meeting in order Jthat members of the conference might become better acquainted with the Bills. Mr Mathias thought that some organization was necessary for the distribution of the land revenue. Mr Qrigg thought that if they were so far removed from the seat of Government as they were they would require an organization higher than Road Boards. He could not see how the counties could come into collision with the Road Boards, ns their revenues and duties were different. What he could not understand was, what was to become of the unexpended portion of the land revenue. The merging of Road Boards into counties would in his opinion be very objectionable, as the expenditure of money judiciously and economically required local knowledge. The experience of older countries showed them the necessity of having some organization to administer county matters. He was quite prepared to admit that the County Bill was cumbersome, and agreed with Mr Lee that it would be well that the rate rolls of road districts should be taken as the assessment rolls. The measure was well thought out—too well for them —who had husbanded their land revenues. This was now to a great extent to be made common property, and he wanted to know what was to become of the unexpended balance of the land fund. The Bill was silent as to this. He thought that it would be better if the full discussion of the measure was deferred until the Bill had been fairly considered. Mr Westenra thought that now the question narrowed itself into this, that it must be either County Boards or Road Boards. He thought that the latter were not able to do the work, and therefore he thought the county system best. As, however, but little time had been given to the consideration of the matter brought before them, he would move the adjournment of the meeting. He would move, as an amendment —“ That the meeting do now adjourn until after the second reading of the Counties Bill.” Mr Tosswill could not see what could be gained by the adjournment. His resolution affirmed that the Road Boards were quite sufficient for the local government of the colony. Therefore, it was a matter of principle as to County Boards or Road Boards, and whether they decided it now or three months hence it would be the same. If they objected to counties they could as well decide it now. There was no difficnlty in the apportionment of the local revenue. If they could distribute it on an acreage system as regarded the counties, why could not the same system be adopted with respect to the Road Boards ? As to the necessity of some body between the General Government and Road Boards, they never had it between the Provincial Council and Road Boards, and if they had an agent of the Government here, which was of course the result of abolition, the Road Boards could communicate to Wellington through him. As to the County Boards taking the place of Road Boards, it was impossible for bodies meeting like County Councils, at intervals only, to take up the local work as well as a local body well educated up to its work. They would have the old system of Provincial Councils and outlying districts repeated even worse than before. Let them give their Road Boards more power, and then they would be found to do all the work which was required cheaper and more effi-, ciently than the County Councils. Mr Postlethwaite again urged ths postponement of the meeting, as the Government might alter their policy during the passage of the Bill through the House. Mr W. C. Walker also supported the adjournment. The great financial debate on Mr Whitaker’s resolutions come on that evening, and it was impossible to say what

the result might be. The whole financial policy of the Government might be altered and changed. [Hear, hear.] Another thing that they must recollect was that other matters besides those directly affecting Road Boards were necessary to be discussed. For instance, the Bill of the Government proposed that on the 30th September, all cash balances at the credit of the province should be expended as the Governor and the person holding office as superintendent might agree; now, as their cash balance would be some £200,000 or £300,000, they would have this large amount expended by perfectly irresponsible persona if they agreed with the Bill. Another matter was that they were expending large sums of ready money on works which the General Government were going to take over. They might get it accounted for, but it would simply be a matter of account. He thought, however, that it would be far better for them to have their ready money. Of course it would all be accounted for, there was no doubt of that, but still it would be infinitely better to have the money they were thus spending. [Hear, hear.] These and other matters connected with the general policy of the Government with reference to local government, were all highly important and should be considered. Hence, he felt that it would be better to adjourn the meeting and take another opportunity of discussing the whole matter at length. Mr Lee urged upon Mr Tosswill the withdrawal of his resolution for the present or a consent to the amendment. The subjects of education, police, &c, all were overlooked in the scheme, which was by far too large a matter to be at once disposed of in a short discussion, such as the oue they had had that day. [Hear, hear.J Mr Tosswill must decline to withdraw his resolution, he should press it. The amendment, as proposed by Mr Westenra, was then put and carried on the voices.

The meeting then adjourned to a future date to be announced by the chairman.