BIRTH OF NEW COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 April 1920, Page 4

BIRTH OF NEW COUNTY.

| CHANT!E IN INGLEWOOD DISTRICT, END OF MOA ROAD DISTRICT. Yesterday the Moa Road District erased to exist. The territory comprised witliin its area, as well as a portion that some time previously merged into the Taranaki County, lias been raised to the status of a county as from to-day. For several years past an energetio band, of whom Mr. A. Corkill, chairman of the Moa Road Board, has been the moving spirit, have been working i hard to form ihe district into a county, and the birth of the Inglewood County is undoubtedly a tribute to their zeal and per* sistency.

In his report at the final meeting of the Moa Hoad Board yesterday, Mr. Corkill expressed the hope that all would meet again as the new Inglewood County Council. They had had a lmrd fight to win for the district the status of a county, and every member of the Board would justly feel proud to have his name associated wit-H it. This, lie said, was only the beginning, but the benefit# tint this district and the settlers would derive by the change were in sight, and he trusted 'that at the forthcoming election the ratepayers would return the old members of the Board in a body as the new Council, and give them an opportunity of proving that they were fighting for something more than a name, viz,, the bringing of their district into line with the more progressive points of South Taranaki.

Prior to the conclusion of the meeting the chairman said that, before parting, he would like to say that iie had looked forward for a long time to the day when they would have a county of their own, and he was pleased that it hod come at last. There was no doubt that the district. had been kept back through being under the Taranaki County Council as its parent 'jody. Taranaki Imd made the least progress of any local body. He had had a very strenuous time during the past two years, but was quite willing to give his services to the ratepayers for a year or two longer if desired, but if not he would ho quite satisfied to retire. He hoped those who comprised the new Council would take the roading question in hand straight away. There was no doubt that an enormous amount of money was spent, on the main road* under the present system each year, but the Council always seemed to be in the same nosition, and never got out of the rut, as the work had to be done again each year. The roads would not carry the presentday traffic under present methods. Waimate West had seen this ten years ago, and had tar sealed their roads. Other South Tarannki counties had followed their lead. He referred to tho statements made regarding the damage done to roads by the ever-increasing traffic, and stated that the chairman of the Waimate County Council told him that his Council welcomed the traffic, fts> it kept tho tar "alive." Mr. Corkill then thanked members for the courtesy they had shown him as chairman of the Board, which he was leaving without any ill-feeling towards any one. Ho was not particularly struck with the advice given by Mr. Connett, chairman of the Taranaki County Council, to Moa ratepayers at the last meeting relative to the election of three members of the riding in the new body. He could not see what experience they had gained in tho Taranaki County, which had only begun scratching the tar question lately. Mr. Bowler paid a tribute to the fighting qualities of the chairman, without whom they would never have got the county, for which they had been fighting for years. Other speakers spoke in a similar strain. The chairman then thanked the Press for its assistance. Members of the Board were afterwards entertained by the chairman, when a number of toasts were honored