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Hokitika Guardian, 6 July 1923, Page 2

In pressing the objections on behalf of the southern residents to the proposal to purchase road machinery, at the County meeting on Tuesday, one of the speakers referred to The disposition of the south district to constitute a separate County. Such a move would he quite a retrograde step and would not display milch appreciation of the fostering hand given by. the north in years gone by to bring the south to its present flourishing state. What would probably meet the ease, for the south district- is growing more important, and is entitled to a larger voice in the management, would he a readjustmentof tho ridings and their representation, or a fresh partition altogether by the creation of additional ridings. The act, permits the making of twelve ridings and as many members, but- it is probably not necessary to increase the number of councillors seeing that fi r so many years nine or less members hare sufficed. But the boundaries of the ridings could bo so altered as to give the south district- an extra, ridj ing, and the roprosonuitinn could Inadjusted accordingly. At the same lime as far as can In- gleaned from the proceedings of the Council, the members have worked very amicably together, and there lias not lieen any snggo.— I tion of penalising any district. Least | of all has the south been victimised—- | for ready belli i- given invariable to all I proposals brought forward by the souI them members. Snell being the case I the suggestion of any secession appears l > be premature, not to say impolite.

Turin: remains yet another way in which any seeming differences between the respective tidings might l-.e adjusted. That would be by differential luting. This is not- a new phase. It was to avoid differential rating and prevent any txt-rn burden being thrown upon a section of the ratepayers (two of the south ridings included) which moved the Council to form a wider piool oi its funds so that all might share as they contribute proportionately. The allocation of the riding revenue in any ease is based on the lateable value of the respective areas, so that the availaide income is allocated (after providing for the general debt, and liabilities! in proportion to the rates paid by each ruling. Under this provision, it would appear, the lowin' the rate struck the less in pn>]>ortioii of the general income tho riding would receive, so that differential rating would not be an

untilixed blessing, The concord among councillors in the past, however, suggests that with reasonable cunsk’oratnm lor the demands from members, differential rating would not find unanimous favour. The system ot keeping separate accounts gives the ratepayers' representatives an intimate knowledge of tne expenditure going on in the separate ridings and while that is kept within bounds there is not likely, probably. to be unanimity regarding differential rating.

Wmr.K on the subject o! County government it- is worth mentioning just at this juncture, that the southern district is escaping a good deal of liability by reason of its cliiei niterial road, from Ross to Okuru being a bis vermin-lit road. It remains to lie seen what will happen under the Main Highways Act. 11l regard to the provisions of that measure, local bodies are expected to find two-thirds of the cost of maintenance, and one half of the cost of construction for main highways. If the south road is declared a main highway instead ot a Government road, an extraordinary liaiiility would be thrown on the south district, and there would not he much heard of a new local body for the south, it may be expected that in the absence of railway extension, the Comity Council will urge that the main road beyond the rail-head he retained as a Government road. In that event tile position for the time being will D> secure, hut it is a matter which needs watching. The southern district just now is receiving also the benefit ol a large expenditure for new bridges, and these works absorb money which, ns aconsequence is not available- lor other parts of the County. Altogether the -southern district stands to continue to reap valuable advantages from its present intimate association with the Westland County Council, which ns a oodv hits never ceased to advocate and assist- the opening up and loading ct isio southern district.