THE NEW COUNTY.

Mataura Ensign, Volume VI, Issue 284, 24 August 1883, Page 2

THE NEW COUNTY.

Petitions are now in general circulation praying thab a new eounty may be created, its boundaries being those already defined in this place. It will take in Gore, Gordon, the Waimea Plains country, Lurnsden, and Waikaia, and although nothing has yet been definitely settled, it maybe safely assumed that Gore will be the county town, its position and importance fully entitling it to that distinction. It is quite unnecessary that we should refer at length to this petition. We have on more than one occasion dealt : with the matter, and shown, pretty plainly we think, that great advantages would e'isue from the establishment of local self-government. It may be that the residents of this district have been apathetic, perhaps they have suffered from want of representation in the Southland County Council; but the. fact stares us in the face that we have been badly used in the past. With one or two exceptions, our roads are not worthy the name; our streams are either not bridged at all or covered by the most miserable culverts the ingenuity of than could devise. And # yet this district has contributed handsomely, totlw rates of the Southland County Council. We venture' to say that, with the exception of one or two farored portions of the district,! we have not had returned in the shape of works one half of the money we have paid into the county funds. The balance has gone in salaries to officials we seldom see, and to enrich districts with which we have nothing in common. We very much mistake the careful business men and sturdy farmers of the district iF they will consent to the perpetuation of this order of things. That the petition will be numerously and influentiall? signed we have not the slightest doubt. A certain proportion of signatures is required by Ihe Act, and as a large number of electors cannot be reached it behoves those who ljve in the proposed, new ' county and have the interests Q f the district at heart to attach their names when the ■■•»« W&it§ upon them. Let canv .-.'.'; - «,i oo f pemember that those who holu . »iA.tWST the they are practical 'V voting a. creation of a new county. For tne present we. leave the matter, but in future issues we shall not fa<l to adduce arguments in favor of the scheme. We gave the first blow to the nail, and we will drive it home.