THE OEO DISTRICT.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 December 1919, Page 8

THE OEO DISTRICT.

SEVERANCE FROM EGMONT * COUNTY. THE COMMISSION'S REPORT. The Under-Secretary of Internal Affairs forwarded to the Egmont County Council yesterday a copy of the report submitted by Messrs. G. H. Bullard, Commissioner of Crown Lands (chairman), 0. Gardner and E. Maxwell, members of the commission which held an enquiry concerning the proposed alteration of boundaries of the counties of Waimate West and Egmont. He stated that it was proposed to give effect to the Commission's report, which found that at least a, twothirds majority of the ratepayers in the petitioning area desired to be included in the Waimate County instead of as at present, the Egmont County. The major portion of the traffic from the area wjis over the roads of the Waimate West County, and jt was, therefore, only right ! that the ratepayers should contribute to | the upkeep of.tiie roads of the Waimate West County, and have a voice in the' control of such roads. Including the defined area in title Waimate West (Vmnty would do away with the joint control of the Oeo Road, whieli had not proved entirely satisfactory. The total income of the Egmont County was .Cl/i.KI,'! per annum, and this area would reduce that. amount by £OOO per annum, but the expenditure would be reduced by the cost of maintenance of 7} miles of road, of which 1* miles was main road. Egmont County contributed a special rating district to secure six special loans approximating £21,012, already borrowed, and another £6OOO not yet lifted. The interest had been paid,out of the general rate. There were also two loans in the Oeo Riding, whilst at March 31st the overdraft amounted to £321)2. The apportionment of these charges they did not consider part of the duties of the commission. The area would automatically become part of the Hawera Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, but the small amount involved did not, they considered, constitute an undue loss to the Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. By including the area in the Waimate West. County, they held that no injustice would be done to the ratepayers in the Egmont County, as the ratepayers of the disputed area had been contributing towards the general expenses of a district with which they had little in common. They, therefore, recommended that the area be included within the Waimate West County.

The chairman said that the Kgmonf County got back a strip from the Maiu Soutli Road to the beach, access to which' was something to be thankful for. The decision, lie said, was a most absurd one, •and entirely against the, weight of evidence. The decision, however, was not unexpected, for reasons ho went into, if any pan of a county could be cut out from that county because it had no comIminity of interest with that county, and used the roads of other local bodies," there would be danger of an absolute land slide in local government. Whut confidence Would any local body have in procuring road-making machinery, etc? Take tlicir own case. They were going in for a loan of £BO,OOO, and the week after they secured it they might lose the porfinn of the county north of Pungarehu. Indeed, at present the Tarnnki County was offering that district a bribe by stilling that it would remove the toll gate. Cnder the present decision not one county won! j feel safe. Frohi the point of view of public policy, therefore, they should oppose the decision. He understood that there was still a loophole, as the question of the form of the petition had to be placed before the Crown Law Officers. Cr. O'Brien considered that this wa-, only a technical matter The chairman suggested that the papers should be sent to Messrs. Roy and Nicholson for submission to the Crown Law Officers. Cr. Green thought that they should either have access to a seaport or to a railway. No matter which way they turned, they had to go through anotheV county. Cr. Sinclair suggested that they might merge with Taranaki. Cr. Green considered that they might make application for a portion of the Taranaki territory. It was their duly to get access to a port. Cr. Sinclair said that they had a port at Opunake. The chairman said the railway was going to be started. Cr. Green stated that the present time was a good opportunity to secure access to the port of New Plymouth, which was the port for the district. They had a lot of live men in the Council to merge the Parihaka Road District, and had they no live men to merge a portion of the iTaranaki County'