Manamatu Herald FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1880. THK NEW HIGHWAYS BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 25, 26 November 1880, Page 2

Manamatu Herald FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1880. THK NEW HIGHWAYS BOARD.

« We have heard with some surprise that a petition is at present in circulation, asking the County Council to merge the newly -formed Foxton Higlnvays District into the County, — in other words, to abolish the proposed new Board. This action is certainty very hurried. The proclamation constituting the new 33oard was gazetted only yesterday week, but we have heard that the petition in circulation is at least three weeks old. The hurry which has been shown regarding the affair does not look at all well. It suggests that- there i.s something underneath, and that the persons who are " fathering" it wish to do their good deeds by stealth. We do not believe in these " hole and corner " petitions, li" a scheme is on foot for the public good, there should be no need of secrecy. Still further, if the proposed merging oi the Highways District into the County is a scheme that will be of benefit to tiie district, let the ratepayers be called together, and the matter settled one way or another in a fuhlk meeting. There should be full discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the new Highways Board, before any such decided action is taken. The precise wording oi the petition we do not know, not having seen it, but we lex*rn the petitioners rest their request on the ground that in the past they have not received a fair share of the rates in expenditure on their roads. That is quite true, and repeatedly we have denounced the conduct of the old Highways Board, which spent the money belonging to the ratepayers of this district in other parts of the County. But surely the petitioners have forgotten that it was in order to stop these abuses that the Foxton people asked for and have now obtained separation from the old body. Under the old arrangement Foxton sent one representative to Palmerston, and frequently his just claims for this district were put aside by the other five or six members. That ■will be impossible under the new Board. The district will be divided into five Wards, each having its representative, and though there may be differences of opinion as to the precise spot where the money should be spent, every penny will actually be spent in the lioxton district. If the Highways District were merged in the County Council, the old story might be repeated. The upcountry members would have the power, if they chose to exercise it, of voting the Foxton Eiding's moneys upon works at Feilding or Halcombe. It would be grossly unjust if they did so, but the Manawatu Highways Board showed that could be done, for they did it. But there is another point. The function of the Council is to attend to the main County roads. The Highways Boards are supposed to attend to the district roads. What guarantee is there that the County Council would not spend the whole of the money upon the main roads, leaving the district roads to take care of themselves? We confess to a fear that this would be the result of the Foxton Highways District being merged in the County, unless the whole of the other Highway Districts were also merged, and we will plainly state the reason. It is generally stated that Mr Kockstrow supports very strongly the merging of the Highways District is the County, and it is well known he is in favour oi the Foxton-Sandon road being metalled ; in fact, it is a " fad " with him. The work is a most necessary and desirable one. We have repeatedly referred to the importance of communication with Sandon, and would willingly pay a special rate to secure the formation of the road. The County rates for Awahou may legitimately be spent upon this work, but we are afraid that if Mr Rockstrow had the handling of the Highways Board moneys

as County Councillor, he would starve the whole district for the purpose of carrying out his pet idea. Perhaps we are mistaken in imputing his support of the scheme to this -motive. Nevertheless, the ratepayers should pause before they hand over the money that should be spent on district roads to a body whose duty is to form and metal main County roads, especially as the senior member's pet scheme is the expenditure of a large sum of money on the main road mentioned. If the action of the petitioners could have prevented the new Highways District coming into existence at all, we could have understood it better. But what are the facts ? The signatures to the petition must be those of at least a third of the ratepayers, representing at least a half of the rateable property in the district. The petition has to be published in the local newspaper a month before being presented to the Council, and not till two months afterwards can the merger take effect. Before the three months can expire, the new Board will be in working order. Surely, then, it would be better to let the matter rest, and see if the new Board deals fair justice to all parts of the district, before jumping into the maternal arms of the County Council. There is just one more point, viz., that the people of Foxton would, if the district were merged in the County, be trying an experiment. If some other district had gone through ■ the experience, and prospered, there would be an inducement to the ratepayers here to follow suit ; but experiments are dangerous, and the Foxton outsettlers would do well to pause and consider whether the County Council offers superior advantages to the purely local form of selfgovernment they would enjoy under a Highways Board. In conclusion, we would suggest the petition should be, for the present at least, laid on one side. A public meeting might also be called, and the matter put to the vote, whether the ratepayers would prefer a Highways Board to expend the funds on district roads, or whether they are willing to leave the question of where the money should be spent in the hands of Messrs Eockstrow and Gray, their County representatives.