HIGHWAY BOARDS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4544, 13 October 1875, Page 2

HIGHWAY BOARDS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE HEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sib.—ln a recent issue of one of the local papers of the Wairarapa, I observe that the Superintendent of Wellington forwarded to the Masterton Highway Board, a memorial he received from the settlers in Ho. 1 Ward of that district, praying for separation, so as to be able to expend their own rates within the boundaries of that ward. It is now well understood that the centralising element created by the Provincial Highways Act of IS7I, is a mistake, and that those monster districts provided in the schedule of that Act, are both cumbersome and expensive, and are beyond the power of a few members to manage. The wards of the district as shown upon the map, are also too large for management, and the memorialists pray that only a portion of Ho. 1 Ward be set apart as a highway district; but this reasonable request it appears was rejected, owing no doubt to the centralising proclivities of the Masterton Board. It is a hardship to compel settlers to travel long journeys to wait upon a few persons who constitute a quorum, in order to have a portion of their own money spent in a fair and equitable way within the boundary of the ward for their benefit, and to be denied.

When the Act of IS7I was before the Provincial Council, I remember Mr. LudUm moving, by resolution, that all rates raised within a ward should be spent in it; but as the provincial element was rampant in those days, this reasonable resolution was rejected, and now we see a quorum of three members clothed with the power of spending the money of the people in any favored locality within the district they please, and I may therefore reasonably assume that the settlers of No. 1 Ward, as well as the settlers of Carterton and the Taratahi, have disapproved of this unjust system, and have asked for separation upon these grounds from the Masterton Board.

It is now to be hoped that as the Government have undertaken the duty of remodelling the whole provincial system, the impracticability of these large highway boards will be taken into consideration, and that reasonable areas will be given as districts in the schedule of the Local Government BUI, and that on a certain day to be named in the Act the people will have the power to elect six wardens for each district; and when these boards have performed their work like our present provincial institutions, they can be amalgamated into shires, and their usefulness further expanded. By this means the settlers of new districts will become acquainted with the duties they have to perform, and flt themselves for the responsibilities of a higher character.—l am, &c., Observer.