THE GERALDINE COUNTY RATE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2466, 12 February 1881, Page 2

THE GERALDINE COUNTY RATE.

[to the editor] Sir, —I regret to lind in your issue of the 10th inst. an article referring to the Geraldine Council which is in bad taste, unjust, and shows a want of information on the subject. I don’t care to object to the general tone of the article, since its amusing smartness makes it worth reading, but this county should not bo spoken of as “ a moderately largo one,” since it is much the largest in the whole colony, and this'may be some reason why railway fares for members should be paid, even without the fact that it is usual, not only with County Councils but also with other local Boards, and is especially provided for in the Act. lam sorry that you do not approve of the Council having carried out the duties which devolve on it under the Dog Registration and Slaughterhouses Act, and I am glad to inform you that the County Councils have not received any portion of the impounded land fund, since it went direct to the Road Boards. Since you are willing to pass over the “ Opihi bridge ” business in silence, I am willing to hope that it has your qualified approval.

With reference, however, to the Rangitata bridge I would ask you to read section 85 Public Works Act, and you will see how much better it would have been to consult authorities before writing on the subject. 1 feel sure that you do not wish to mislead the public, but your article tends to do so. The Government empowered the Ashburton Council to repair the bridge, and has the power of reserving half the cost out of revenue clue to the County of Geraldine, or it is at the option of the Ashburton Council to repair the bridge, and recover direct from the adjacent county half the cost. You will see, therefore, that the Geraldine County is legally liable for half the cost of repairs to the Rangitafa bridge, and that the serious responsibility was unwillingly admitted by the Council, because it is impossible to deny it. I quite agree with }Oii as to the desirability of avoiding a county rate, nor do I feel sure that it will in any case bo necessary, since there is reason for hoping that the county fund will be strong enough to stand this burden without a rate.

I would ask you in justice to remember that the county members for the Levels district did their very utmost to secure the division of the county more than a year, ago and the cause of their failure can scarcely have passed from your memory.—Yours, &c., C. C.