WAIRARAPA.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4828, 12 September 1876, Page 3

WAIRARAPA.

(from our own correspondent.)

A public meeting was held in the Carterton Town Hall on Thursday evening last to discuss the Counties Bill, and was numerously attended, Mr. C. R. Carter addressed the meeting at some length, expressing it as his opinion that provincial institutions were no longer required, and that the county system would be a most desirable substitute. He thought that local and road boards should be retained to attend to the particular wants of the community, and that the county councils should administer to the general wants of the counties, such as education, gaols, police, and sanitary matters. He contended that if the council was a highly-paid body the ratepayers would be unable to find the money to meet the expense, and the county system would fall to the ground. He could see no reason why they could not be worked the same as in Australia, where the members of a board did not receive payment. He did not consider it desirable to divide the Wairarapa into two counties, as it would only double the expense.

The following resolutions were carried unanimously : 1. That this meeting is of opinion that the County Councils should be elected by the ratepayers at large, such ratepayers having one vote and no more, and that they should have charge of all the main roads of the county as well as its general affairs, the local and highway boards being left as now to take charge of the particular affairs of the several localities.

2. That the meeting approves of the boundaries of the Wairarapa County as proposed by the late Government, and trusts that no division will be sanctioned by Parliament. 3. It is the opinion of the meeting that if the proposed county system is not simple in its machinery, economical iu its working, and entirely under the control of the ratepayers, it will fail to give satisfaction to the county.