The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays) WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 1878.

Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 347, 14 August 1878, Page 2

The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays) WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 1878.

The following resolution, passed unanimously at the public meeting held in the Carlyle Town Hall on Friday evening last, may be taken as an indication of the set' of public opinion—“ That this meeting urge upon the Government to take into itrs consideration the claim of Patea County to a representative in the General Assembly, instead of being divided between the district of Egmont

on the Taranaki side, and the Wanganui district on the other.” We have too frequently been compelled to call attention to the awkward position which Patea County occupies in regard to land admin-istration-and other matters. It is just the same in regard to representation in the General Assembly. The Gonnty is situated partly in the electoral district of Egmout (Taranaki) and p irlly in theelectoral district of Wanganui. The boundaries of the Comity are such as give general satisfaction. The great cause of complaint and irritation is that settlers in one part of the County have to look to Wellington or Wanganui, as the ease may be, for attention to particular matters, and settlers in the other part have to look to Taranaki, while for other matters they have both to look to the County Council. It is needless to say there is little sympathy shown by one or other of the outside places. An example of the inconvenience and confusion which often arises from the fag-end-of-two-dis-tricts position in which the County is placed was lately shown in regard to the desire of the County Council to regulate the Width of tires for heavy loads. Part of the County came under the provisions of Wellington Highways Ordinance, and part, of course, under Taranaki. It is not to be wondered that a bungle was made by the Council in adopting a resolution to regulate the width ot tires, and that the work bad to be done over again, and thus valuable time was lost, and the roads suffered inconsequence. Wo could cite cases in connection with sheep, cattle, dogs, licenses, and other matters, all tending to show the great inconvenience and loss occaoioned through this muchdivided administration. Temporary measures have in some cases been adopted to remedy inconveniences. What, however, is wanted, is that the County should bo placed beyond iho necessity of appealing to Taranaki or Wanganui orWullington, and that it should be entrusted more with the management of its local affairs. Much lias lately been urged by representative men in the Colony, as to the necessity for adopting boundaries where there was rather an affinity of interest than a merely good geographical boundary. ■ The idea of dividing at rivers, or sonic other marked geographical feature, is wearing out. What is considered preferable, is to make geographical boundaries suit communities, rather than endeavour to make communities (it the boundaries. The boundaries of Patea County gave general satisfaction, and if only we were allowed the management of local affairs to a greater extent, a strong County feeling would grow up, the best men would stop forward to fill public offices, and all appearance of conflicting interests would vanish. We want more direct representation in the Assembly. Major Atkinson has many staunch friends throughout the County, but, after all, he is felt to be a Taranaki man, and Taranaki, with throe members, is deemed to be over-represented. The last census shows a total population for the town of New Plymouth (which has its representative in Parliament) of 2,G78 persons. The electoral district of Grey and Bell, also having its Assembly representative, 3,804 persons. The returns for the County of Patea, give a population of 2,972, say 3,000. The electoral district of Egmont has a population of 2,404 persons. Patea outnumbers in population, both the town of New Plymouth and the electoral district of Egmont.' The general opinion is that two members should suffice for Taranaki, and that in lieu of a member for Egmont, a representative should be given to Patea County. Major Atkinson is also deemed too much of a colonial man to suit present requirements. There is a hankering after a local man, even though he should be less known fo fatne, and for a time, carry less weight. A number of settlors have resolved to work for a change. Government ought also to be favourable to the change so urgently desired, and be willing to support an appeal from Patea to be made an electoral district. It is for settlors in all parts of the County to take the matter up earnestly, and there is little doubt but what effort will be rewarded by success.