MOA COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1915, Page 8

MOA COUNTY.

PROPOSAL REJECTED BY, THE HOUSE. •{By Telegraph—Spc'ciffl to Daily News.) Wellington, Last Night. The local Bills Committee reported today fiat it 'had considered the Moa County Bill, proposing to create a new county from a portion of tie Tara.Tia.ki county, and recommended tihai it shcalld not proceed. In the course of discussion tiie Minister for Internal Affairs (Jl6u. G. W. Russell) said that the Moa Road district, which the Bill proposed should be converted into a county, was the ■largest ami most important of the 'road districts remaining within the Tarau&ki county.' The majority of.the people concerned appeared to be in favor of Che Bill, but the Local Gdvernitamt Conference of 15H2, and also the House, ihad set its face against the establishment of new comities. The boundaries of the existing counties might not be perfect, but undoubtedly rural government would not be strengthened or improved by the creation of smaller counties. He felt that large counties, with assured finances and increased powers, could best serve the public interest. Mr. Russell added that both the parties represented in the National Cabinet were pledged to a. comprehensive reform of local government. Mr. H. J. Okey said the proposal was simply to out a piece off the Taranaki county, which had been reduced considerably in recent years. It was inevitable that traffic 'from Kgmont 'county and Clifton county should move towards New Plymouth, and the Taranaki county 'had been forced to seek toll gates as a means of protecting itself from an unfair burden of road maintenance. The Moa county would do a further-Injustice to the Taranaki county, and he did not think that the delegates had shown that the older body was failing at any point. The Taranaki County Council was doing its work well, and 'had an adequate equipment. The separation of the proposed Moa county would mean that another toll-gate would have to be erected near New Plymouth, in order that the traffic to the port might pay its share of taxation. Mr. C. J. Talbot (Temuka), a member of the committee, said that the evidence heard had shown that the proposed county had no natural boundaries, and that the administration of the Taranaki County Council had been satisfactory. The report of the committee was accepted on the voices.