Manawatu Herald. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1879. COUNTY OFFICES WANTED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 20, 31 October 1879, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1879. COUNTY OFFICES WANTED.

, — « It certainly is time some move Avas made towards tlie erection of suitable buildings for the Manawatu County Council. Although that body has so large an income, and so extensive an area to watch over, its present habitation is a superannuated billiardroom at the rear of a stationer's shop, without the slightest indication of its use. That such a state of affairs is most undignified cannot b* doubted for a moment. It is also expensive. The rent the Council pays represents interest at 10 per cent, on nearly £400; so that the present arrangements can scarcely be justified on the score of economy. It will be remembered that some time ago the Government offered to the Council, at a peppercorn rent, the site in Mainstreet adjoining the Court house, upon which the police quarters are now erected ; but owing to the fact that i : . w.xs not an absolute gift, a majority of the Council were opposed to its acceptance. This was a shortsighted policy. The site in question is both valuable and suitable, and although the Council would have been a tenant of the Government, no rental would been paid, a perpetual right could without doubt have been secured, and compensation would most certainly have been allowed by Government had the Council ceased to require the building and site ; whilst a saving would have been effected in the amount now paid for offices. The offer to which we have referred was read at the meeting of the County Council held on Nov. 6. The opponents to its acceptance were Messrs. Halcombe and Macarthur, on the grounds that the site was leasehold, and that Foxton would probably cease to be the County town,in which case no return could be expected from the property. Mr Gower urged that the matter be left over for the new Council to deal with, and no resolution was passed. Since then no further action has been taken, and the vote of £300 passed some fifteen months ago, on the motion of Messrs. Sanson and Gowev, for the erection of County offices remains unexpended. We direct attention to the matter in the hope that some one or other of the Councillors representing Southern Hidings will call early attention to it The County town question will probably be attached to that of County offices. Messrs. Macarthur and Halcombe regard Feilding as the most suitable place, and will use every effort to remove the County business there. . In a recent speech on the Local Board question, the former gentleman referred pointedly to the subject, and decried the claims of Foxton to the position of County town, urging that Feilding was more central, et hoe genus omne. The ideas of Mr Macarthur on this subject are not likely to commend themselves to the representatives of the Eidiugs, except Manchester and Kiwitea. The Taonui member would gain almost nothing ; whilst the Otaki representative would lose three days each sitting of jibe council ; Sandon and Carnarvon are both in favour of Foxton ; whilst of course the Awahou representatives are sufficiently alive to their own interests to desire the retention of Foxton as the County town. The expenditure of the money voted for •> County offices would tend to settle the question, and whilst we do not consider the matter of very great importance either one way or the other, it is one of those things which should be decided, in order to allay the petty jealousy which at present exists between the two ends of the district. In the South Island, several of the Councils have erected handsome buildings for County purposes. We do not advocate extravagance, but we think for the sum passed — £300 — buildings might be erected which would be both neat and convenient.