UNWIELDLY RAGLAN COUNTY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 37, 14 May 1915, Page 2

UNWIELDLY RAGLAN COUNTY.

New County Advocated. Onewhero Probable Headquarters. "Liverpool County,'' out of compliment to tbe present Governor of New Zealand, is suggested as the name of a new Cuunty that is advocated should be established in the northern portion of the existing County of Raglan, a movement for the creation of a new County Council to control (roughly) about half of the present area belonging to the Raglan County Council having now taken definite form. Fn our advertising columns appears a detailed notice of the proposals, which are to be embodied in a Local Bill to be presented to Parliamoot in the forthcoming Session, Mr A. Hanna, of Auckland, being solicitor for the petitioners.

Some months ago a representative meeting of ratepayers of the district concerned in the proposed new County was hell and the idea met with general favour, a committee being formed for the purpoie of definitely launching th™ scheme with Mr St. J. Hills, of Wairamarama, as hon. secretary. A petition to Parliament was set on foot and has been very extensively signed by ratepayers residing in every part of the proposed new County, which it is suggested shuuld include Onewhero, Wairamarama, Pukekawa, Port Waikato, Opuatia, GlenMurray, etc., for which didtrict Onewhero would seem to be the natural centre for the headquarters of the new County, if formed. PETITION TO PARLIAMENT.

The reasons advanced for the creation of an additional representative body are set forth in the petition to Parliament, which (inter alia) states: — That the existing County ofRaula", comprising an area of 824 square miles, is too large and in consequnce the administration its unsatisfactory. That it would be in the best interests of the inhabitants of the County if thU portion cf the County containing 432 miles as set out on an accompanying plan ib cut oh! from Raglan County and constituted a new County. That the petitioners comprise a very large proportion of the electors resident in the a<-ea as set out

That prior to the constitution of the County of Franklin in the year 1912 the County of Manukau, of which the County of Franklin formed part, . comprised only 791 square miles. That the present County of Raglan has an area of 33 square miles more than the combined area of the Counties of Manukau and Franklin. That owing to the large urea of Raglan County proper administration is rendered very difficult for the following reasons :-

The population is very scattered and electors experience great difficulty in exercising their franchise; that the County Council meetings are held at Ngaruawahia and it is very difficult and in some cases very costly for electors residing in remote parts to attend County meetings; that inasmuch as the Ridings of a County are by Statute limited to 12 the area allotted to each Riding is necessarily large and consequently it ii extremely difficult for each Riding member to devote the necessary time to the require menta of his riding and very hard for sou,e of the petitioners to get into personal communication with the representative on the Council; that when any occasion arises for the Council's engineer to visit the northern part of the County it generally takes him three days at the least to make even a small inspection; and, further, that there are eleven Hidings in the County of Raglan, each containing on an average an area of nearly 80 equare miles; that the revenue of the County cannot be equitably disbursed, having regard to the large and widely scattered area; that as at present constituted the Council is composed of 11 members, whereas the new County will include approximately only the Ridings represented by five of the members with a rateable value of approximately £508,000, the remaining six members representing a rateable value of £410,000; that the electors who reside in that part of the County which is proposed to be severed derive less benefit than the other part of the County inasmuch as on an average much less expert attention is given.

Wherefore your petitioners pray that your Honourable House will legislate so ae to authorise His Excellency the Governor to suspend by Proclamation the operation of "The Counties Act, 1908." in the County of Raglan and pray for an Act authorising the constitution of a i.ew County to be knuwn as the Liverpool County. ,