THE BEGINNING OF THE END.

Kumara Times, Issue 1099, 8 April 1880, Page 2

THE BEGINNING OF THE END.

ROAD BOARD VERSUS COUNTY .COUNCIL. ""_ ~. [TO THE BDITORi] • • ' Sr&—This subject has advanced another stage. The West Coast, Times has kept the public pretty, well ?in the dark ; for itmever informed Its, readers that the County Roll Was thrown put in this district, that the Roll in the Kanieri was illegal, or that the rates collected last ye,ar were collected on rolls that had no right to be in existence. On this Tam only quoting the opinion of an Attorney-General; my own would have no wmght with the W;C. T.' The Judge of the Assess* ment Court has ordered a Roll'to be compiled for the local body of the district, that body being the Road Board \ and instructions bare been given, in accordance with the provisions of the Rating Act, that all property must be valued. This means that the miners' huts will be rated j and I shall be very much surprised if they stand-by quietly and, in addition to the other taxes, see a double rate imposed j for. in effect, that is what it means. First, the Road Board will strike a rate. Then, seeiDg that the County Council cannot strike a rate on any particular district, but must strike a rate ou the whole county, there will be both a Road Bosrd and County rate struck. 1 have warned the people of the district that unless one body was dispensed with this would sooner or later be the case, and perhaps now they will, see that I had just ground for fighting so hard to get the Road Board merged. However, the remedy is simple. If the Council refuse still to merge, then separation for a local body distinct from both Council and Board could be formed in less than three months. At all events the onus now rests with the County Council: they have it in their power to prevent us paying a double rate. If, in self-defence, the inhabitants protect themselves, they will only be carrying out the first law of nature, " Man ! Mind thyself." R. J. Sbddon, M.C.C. Kumara, April 8, 1880.