Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, FEB. 6, 1892. Looal Bodies.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 6 February 1892, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, FEB. 6, 1892. Looal Bodies.

Our friends to the south of the Man awatu river are agitating for a reversal of the existing order of local government. The public men of the County are inviting the Road Board ratepayers into their parlour. The suggestion 19 that it is mnde in the interests of economy. The great advantage that our local institutions ■ ossass is their extreme elasticity which permits the ratepayers to separate, or merge, as to them seems best from time to time. With regard to the present position of tin Road Boards in the Horowhenua County we know no more than that stated by Mr Davies, via., that they aft iv & sound fintnoifti position

The County hardly appears to be so j happily situated. It becomes then a } very serious matter for the Road y Board ratepayers to consider whether { their interests would really be so well managed by the County. It ] may be diitinctly understood that ' the funds r reived by way of " separate" rate*, that is the other rate which the County has power to levy i in addition to the ordinary County >. rate, is by law bound to be kept 1 separate, but the important fact which the Road Boards have to 1 remember i 3, that the whole fund is 1 County revenue and is available tor - the creditors of the County. T' n ' ls was clearly brought out ' m adjustment of the a^^g between the Borough rj t p QXton and the Manawatu County, the Auditor Gene ,««l holding that the division of general and separate rate 3 was merely for 'inside County purposes. As this has been so held, the financial position of the Horowhenua County is a matter of very much moment to the Road Board ratepayers, and the small saving, if it ever really becomes one, is not great enough to set against a risk. In all new districts it is a matter of extreme difficulty to know what administration is best suited for its developement. A few years ago the whole of the p e;ent Horowhenua County was known as the Oiaki Road Board. The chief 'uien in the present County Council were the principle movers in getting the Board cut up into its present subdivisions, and we can hardly see how they are able now to justify the course they are taking. We have, from a long knowledge of the working of Road Boards and Counties, always advocated the formation of small Road Boards and large Counties, and are able still to say that no alteration has shown so good results. The disatisfaction, if there is any, to the Wirikino Road Board has probably arisen from the peculiar position chosen for a place of meeting, and the want of publicity given to the proceedings. This has arisen from the too great economy practised by the members in the way of advertising, they having cut the prices so low that it pays no newspaper proprietor to send a reporter. The Board should have recognised the progress that Shannon is making and had their office in that town. The upper end of the Horowhenua County is progressing faster than the Southern end, and we are not surprised if there is an objection to allow the whole of their business to be transacted from Otaki. We notice that Mr Eebbell remarked that the merging of the Road Boards in the Manawatu County had been attended with beneficial results, but he forgot to make clear in wbat manner. Even now* after the merging has bden in forca for some years, the outlying parts of the County, away from the central office reoeive scant attention, and was it not for the energy of the Councillor of the Awahou Riding, we believe the ratepayers would be much inclined to fall back upon the Road Board system, It is from this danger of the more populous and wealthy centres monopolising the greater time of the paid officials, that we have always held that as so much work, if it is to be done at all, must be done by the Warden, or Councillor, that for Road Boards the larger number of these volunteer workers you spread over a small area, the cheaper, quicker and batter you will get your district opened up by roads. However there are plenty of men within the district well able to think the matter out for themselves, and to give utterance to their views to their fellow settlers, and even if it was decided to merge the Boards into the pounty no great harm would be done, as it is always possible to again form a Road Board. If Boards are retained there is little doubt but that the Wirikino Board would be better subdivided.