King Country Chronicle WEDNESDAY, MAR. 12, 1913 THE AWAKINO COUNTY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 549, 12 March 1913, Page 4

King Country Chronicle WEDNESDAY, MAR. 12, 1913 THE AWAKINO COUNTY.

The decision of the settlers in the Awakino County to set up a local governing body of their own is probably the wisest course which could hav> been adopted in the interests of progress. The new body, moreover, brings a fresh recruit to the ranks of the Back Block Local Bodies Association, and helps to strengthen the hands of the other local authorities of the King Country to their mutual advantage. The stand taken up by the present Government with respect to granting assistance primarily to outback counties which have not received Government assistance to any great extent rendered it necessary for the new county to play its own hand to the l)GBt advantage. There is, moreover, much to be said in favour of having an independent separate local body, as opposed to the alternative of cutting the district into small'sections, each of which would become to all intents

and purposes merely the out-back portion of larger counties. In the natural course of events a considerable alteration of boundaries will perhaps become necessary in order to facilitate the operations of the contiguous local bodi«s, but there can be no doubt that with hearty co-operation among the settlers in the various ridings of the new county much may he accomplished that, under other conditions, would have been found to be impossible. We tender our hearty congratulations to the youngest King Country local body, and have "Very confidence that the march of progress in the district will be materially aided by the new council.