WAIMEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 293, 18 December 1878, Page 4

WAIMEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The Council met yesterday for the purpose of discussing the expediency of adopting the whole Act. Mr Denckeb. said that when the Provincial system was abolished, and the County Councils were substituted, there was a feeling of doubt as to whether they would answer. On the one haod it was questioned that they were sufficiently comprehensive, and on the other it was feared whether the borrowing powers were too great. Another objection wae that they appeared to run aa parallel with the Road Boardß ibat they were bound Jo clash. An;] it was further arged that they must impose a greater burden on the country in the shape of additional taxation. So the Waimea Council

decided to wait and watch the operation of the Act, elsewhere. Now, it Beemed that, though far from being perfect, the Act was generally viewed with favor. It conferred many ptivilpges on the people which they ought to value add avail themselves of, and it wes far better that they ebould do so than leave the administration of their affairs to officials in Wellington. It must be reI membered that no special tax could be levied without the sanction of the people, and he could not see that additional taxation would be necessary. He had not the slightest doubt that the Council and the Boards would arrive at a ealisfactoy understanding, and that they would make such arrangements as would be beneficial to the district without materially increasing the expense of administration. Mr Bird had not expected to be called upon to second the resolution, but he willingly did so nevertheless. He was in favor of bringing the whole Act into force, and thought that many of the objections that were raised might be got over by the Council and the Road Bo.irde working together, as be felt euro they would do, for the common good. Mr Shephabd suid that as the ,!aet elected member he had intended rather to listen than to obtrude his views on those who had already practical experience. However, as Mr Macmahon pressad for a statement of the advantages expected from adopting the whole Act, he would say that for one thing it had been found that in the more distant parts of the country the Rood Boards had been unable to keep the main lines of communication open, and that the Council having parted with all control over the funds it was unable to sgßiet. He referred to the road by the Hope to the Buller, which in the winter waa'impassable during several months for draye, which had to return to the Big Bueh road, that also having become very bad, no money being available to keep it in repair. Clearly the first duty of the Council was to keep the main roads open, and that could only be secured by bringing the Act into force. Again, the Act was intended to supply the place of Provincial Governments, and imperfect as it is, there was no other means of obtaining for the people through their representatives the power of managing their local affairs. Ifc was not only that abolition had been already followed by transferring the authority to the Govornor, which really' meant the Colonial Secretary, or rather one of his clerks, but the Bills introduced last Bession on such important matters as fencing, impounding, &<\, showed that it was resolved to pursue the same course. Where the Act is in force the Council is empowered to deal with these and similar questions; where it is not adopted, the despotic rule of an official is substituted. He still held that the Council bad acted wisely in suspending the operation of the Act till it elsewhere bad been tried more especially as the opposite course was irrevocable. But now they had two years experience, and on all hands it was acknowledged that it was extremely unsatisfactory. After the Act was brought into operation and before the termination of the financial year, the Chairman of the -Council migtt confer with tb;e Boards on fjnancißi matters, and; agree aa to : the rates likely to be required, and the number of miles of main road to be dealt with, and at a subsequent meeting of the Council the reeult of the enquiries might be made known* and the Council allow so much expenditure for so many miles of main road. By distributing the funds in this way the Council would maintain that check which: the law requires. Aa.to the financial part, if the Council took over the main roada and bridges the Boards would be relieved to that extent, and only the same rate would be required, with the advantage of being uniform, if it was agreed that the Council /should levy it, through all the districts on; a uniform basis. He strongly deprecated any thing- calculated to bring. the Council and' "Boards into collision, but he hoped to do the w,ork quite as cheaply, add somewhat more efficiently ~ than at preseut. The Act provided the only system of local government, and some such system was badly wanted, for at present everything waa virtually left to the Colonial Secrelay'd ehjef clerk to manage, This was most objectionable,

aod even if it should cost a little more, it was belter lhan being debarred from managing our own affairs. So long as ; the Council wotked in harmony with \ the Boards, and merely retained ths power of saying where the money was to be spent, he foiled to see why any large expenditure should be necessary. Mr Phillips thought with reference to collecting the rates that the Council might halve the expense with the Boards, whose Secretaries could collect !it as now, the Council taking the I Boardb' valuations. It renlly appeared that as mutters were going on now the Government were gradually driving them into centralism. He thought the Government ought to make the roads and hand them over to the Boards to keep in repair. | Mr Barnicoat was an advocate for bringing the Act into force. As Cljakman he had been surprised at the amount of correspondence involved. He was constantly receiving letters from other chairmen, but was powerj less to take any "action. He thought the Council should take charge of the slaughter houses, which required supervision by some local body, Aa to funds, although nominally posessing a revenue of thousands, they bad nofc a sixpence at their command. For the very minute look in which their proceedings were entered, they had to ask the Government for money to pay for it. They were in the position of a little child who had to go to its parents for every peony it wanted, then there was nobody to collect the dog tax, as the police were instructed not to do it. The question of pounds, too, was another "that wanted attending to. At present if there was a rotten rail, the poundkeeper had to send to Wellington for moDey to replace it. Tha Road Boards should not have to provide for the upkeep of the bridges, which was a County work. He was a great admirer of Road Boards, of which he had had twenty years experience, and if he thought the adoption of the Act was to be the death of the Boards he should hesitate to vote for it, but he hoped and believed the* would work together. He should prefer adjourning the meeting in order to allow further time for consideration. Mr Macmahon thought the people should thoroughly understand that, the adoption of the Aot meant increased i taxation. The expenses must of necessity be greater, while there would be no more money to meet them, and the only gainers would be the Government, who would have the Council aa a buffer between themselves and the ratepayers. And besides this, he felt sure the Boards would not submit to beiDg dictated to by the Council as to how: they were to spend the money. He knew that a strong feeling existed in the country districts against raising the; expenses, yet this must be the cane if: they adopted the Act, They must! meet muoh bftener, and members from ! a distance would require to be paid, and j the chuirman would have to be paid, for 1 it would take up a deal of his time, and < they would alao have to employ a paid: clerk. Those, who were in favor of the • Act should apeak out plainly, and give! a notice of motion for increasing the taxation,: and then the public would! know what to expect. Mr Well 3 thought a postponement! would be desirable in order to give! time for suggestions to be raadebylhej Road Boards. The adoption of the 1 Act would, he thought, lead to tbe.im-i positiou of two rates, a County rate! and v district rate, and he doubted | whether the people would approve of ! (his. He b iliaved that the time was coming when the Road .Boards would merge in the County Council, and in! the meantime they should endeavor to i make the taxation preaa as lightly as '■■ possible on the people. 1 Mr Bird had recently beporae quite • convinced that it waa better to bring I the Act into force. There would be \ both advantages and disadvantages in I doing so, but he believed the former i would fully counterbalance the little: additional expenditure. He felt sure I that four-fifths of the country people I desired that the Act should be adopted,! as it would give them far moreinflu-l enco with the Government, who now ! treated them almost with contempt. '> Me. Shephabd wished to say with ijegard to what had fallen from Mr Wells, with reference to future rating, j that he thought it was a matter that-

might well be between tbe Council and the* Boards. For his oyin part be had not yet made up his "mind as to the amount or who was to collect it. He could see no advantage to be gained by delay. It was clear that the Council intended to adopt this Act, so why not do it at once ? Mr Barnicoat urged as a reason for delay, that a decided difference of opinion had been expressed to whether the measure would be iv accordance with popular feeling, and also that if they adopted the Act 10-day, they would tomorrow be under an entirely new order of things, which would necessitate their frequent meetings at once, and thia at the present season, would be very inconvenient to the country members. Mr Denckhk having replied, Mr Wells moved that the Council adjourn to the 14th January for the further consideration of the question. Thia was carried by the casting vote of the Chairman, ss reported yesterday, and the Council adjourned accordingly.