The Daily News. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1901. THE EGMONT COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 280, 25 November 1901, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1901. THE EGMONT COUNTY.

Ail those who wish well to the people residing in the area included in the new County of Egmont, will rejoice at thd success which has attended their I efforts to secure a larger measure cf locil self-government. Whec, during the laat cession of Parliament, it was stated that the Loual Govern me at Bill was to ha dropped for this session, a general feeling of disappointment was expressed; but wo believe it will be found that the delay will, after all, be in the interest of the colony, Toe measure, as first drafted, whs on too narrow lines, and the exhaustive discussion, together with the numerous alterations suggested by the County Councils'. Conference, which sat in Wellington, necessitated the Bill being entirely recast if it was to be brought into line with the views of the canference. The Government, therefore, wisely we think, considering the representee character of the conference, decided to give the matter further consideration. The wisdom of this step is shown by the constitution' of the Egmont County which would have been impossibe under the provisions of the proposed Local Government Bill, full as it was of absurd provisions regarding area and population, which is such a serious blot oq eo much of our legislation. We strongly favour the county system, and the abolition of road boards, on the ground, solely, that one system only should exist, and the county system is the best suited for all the requirements of local government. On giving effect to this, however, provision must be made for community of interest to be preserved. Tuis is the retl secret of the popularity of the road boird system, because it provides a means whereby people who huve a common interest can, unite for thair mutual benefit. The insistence on the principle that counties should have a certain area and population has resulted in areas and people being tied together not only having no community of interest, but interests absolutely in opposition. Take the case of the people living between Opunake and Warei, What possible interest cm they have in common with the people of the Moa district ? The same may be asked relative to the people between Oeo and Opunake and those of the Eltham district. Yet these people were, by the absurd boundaries adopted, to their mutual disadvantage placed in the same counties. The constitution of the new County of Egmont is therefore only an act of justice to the settlers to whom the port and town of Opunake is s common' centre, and its constitution should be haikd with pleasure as leading to more effective and economical administration. With the boundaries of the new county thera is not much fault to be found, although the northern boundary appears to us to be rather tco far north; but as it was chosen by the vote of the settlers interested there is nothing more to be said. It is, however, very objectionable to choose a road boundary, because the settlers on one side of a road must necessarily have the same interest as those on the other. A river is always the best possible boundary that can be chosen. On the south, also, a road boundary has been chos°n, with the exception of a very distance, and in this case the boundary is too far north. Either the Manga whero, or the Ot-.b ho Rive'-, would have made an excellent boundary on this side and the boundaries of the Stratford and Haweia counties should have bten re-arranged at the same time. As it is, as we pointed out on a previous occasion, an absurdly small piece of the Hawera County is wedged in between the Egmont County and the Stratford. If anything were wanted to show the need of the new county it is the nbs lute indifference with which their efforts were regarded by the o'der county authorities. Hot the slightest effort was made to assist the promoteis of the new county in the matter of defining boundaries, or in ary other waj-, and they were left to sitk or swim as best, could. We heartily congratulate 'hem on the success of their efforts, and wish the tew county every proer perity. The following »re the boundaries of the new county as definrd in n the Egmont County Act. "A line commencing at the summit if Mount Egmont, extending thencs southerly in a straight lice to a point in the centre of the north end tf the Auroa-ro;d at lis junction with the Forest Kestrve boundary; thence smrherly a'ong the centre of the s«d road to its junction with the southern boundary of block 9, Kaupokonui Survey District; westerly aku<g the said southerly boundary to the centre of the Oeo-r«ad; thence southerly along the centre of

the Oeo-road to a point in tha centre of the Oeo-road, and in a direct, line with the southern boundary of section 20, blcck 1, Waimate Survey District; thence easterly to and along the | pouthern boundry of the said section! 20 to its junction with the fastern! jboundry of block 2, Oeo Survey dis-' ,trict; then southerly along the snid eastern boundary to the sea coast; .then northerly along the said sea casi; to the north-west corner of section 26, block i, Cape Survey District; thai ce easterly along the northern boundary of the said section 26, to the was-tern boundary of the Coast-read; thence easterly across the Oeast-roid to a point in the centre of the Puniho-r( ad it iU junction with thn Coast-roa 1; ther.Ce easterly along the centre of 1 he Puniho-road to its junction with the Forest ii eserve boundary; thence easterly, in a straight line to the pcrir.t of commencement, at the summit, of Mount Egmont aforesaid."