The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 1879.

Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 152, 7 June 1879, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 1879.

The whole secret of the ' Timaru Herald's 5 opposition to the County Councils Act being brought into force in the Geraldine County is now out. When advocating the necessity of bringing the Act into force, we pointed out some of the reasons for those interested in that journal being opposed to it We warned the settleis in the inland townships against giving encouragement to the ' Herald's' pretentions. The cat is now out of the bag, and we must say the proprietor and editor have played their cards well. The whole cause of the opposition was so transparent that most people could see through it. Timaru to be'the County town was the object of their ambition." Thwarted in that, their next, best was to 1 ave the Levels and Mount Cook Ridings formed into a County. At first the settlers in the Levels Riding would only nibble at the bait. To parley with temptation is, however, alwaj-s dangerous, and in this instance it has proved fatal. The Mount Cook and Levels Ridings are both to become bond slaves to Timaru. A new County is to be formed, called the Timaru County. What business Timaru—which is a borough town—has to the title of County we are at a loss to know ; the name is a misnomer. However, if it pleases the two ridings named to have it so, let it be so. Nothing is considered ridiculous by the ' Herald' in these hardup times. By Timaru being the County ! town for the new County, the ' Herald's ' centralising policy will have achieved another triumph. We cannot help feel- , ing for the blindness of the Point settlers in this matter, and also for the Fairlie Creek community,, It is a pity that people do not see the sham and delusion of the dissembler before it is too late. Often have wo warned the country settlers of the danger of allowing Timaru to have too much influence, which must ultimately lead to the destruction of the inland towns. The aim of the ' Herald' is to make Timaru a centre like Christchurch, and the other towns feeders, but to be like Kaiapoi and Kangiora, dead while they live. That owners of property at Pleasant Po'nt and Fairlie Creek could give countenance to this project greatly surprises us. The result of this too easy acquiescence to these selfish schemes for grasping and monopolising is a fatal blindness not easily to be accounted for. Of course it is a wise policy on the part of the ' Herald' to do" so, seeing that it is not what is best for the community, but what is best for the pockets of the shareholders that it has and does look to in all matters. So far as this part of the Geraldine County is concerned, we have no cause for regret : and if they would only cut the connection in other political relationships as well, it would be the best thing that could happen for the electors on this side the Opihi. We do not think it is fair, though, to take the one half with the view of removing a fancied grievance without a provision being made for the severing process cotn♦plotc. This district will not be a prosperous one until separation is secured politically as well as commercially. Little jealousies may, and unfortunately do, spring up, but not of a serious nature. It is for the interests of all the inland rising towns to band together to keep at a distance the common enemy, it is not a matter of importance as between the one and the other who may get some trifling advantage, but it is a matter of importance whether or not any of them are to exist at all, or whether owners of property in Temuka, Winchester, Geraldine, or Pleasant Point townships are to sit tamely by and see their little property reduced to a ruinous point before they will take any steps to stop the ravages. Had some of the members of the Geraldine County Council been true to their constituents, and, as promised by them when elected, acted for the general good of the county,.-, the Act would have been in force the firstsession, and a measure of prosperity and harmony secured, which will never again bo within their reach. He that sows to the wind reaps the whirlwind is a true saying. The member for Geraldine, when working for the interests of Timaru and the ' Timaru Herald,' would not have been so successful in his destructive policy had the members of the Couneil been true to their pledge. Sometimes we have been blamed for being too sweeping in our assertions, but none have yet been able to show that we wrong. What has now come to light in this movement to make Timaru a County town is the best confirmation of our statements that could Ik; produced, and wu will yet bo able to show /hat what we noiv .-;ay is true so far Hi' lhi:t part, of the country is eoncr-mol, mid \vu will ab';o soo verified the truth of

the saying quoted, that falsehood and dissemnlatiou will only secure to its votaries a short-lived popularity. Good men and true are ho valued by being so scarce a commodity that the worthless sometimes get crept into office. A sophist may deceive for a time, but the connection is never a happy one, and a day of reckoning comes. Local self-government may be said to be a failure in South Canterbury. This has been brought about through the agency of Timaru agitators ; what will turn up next no one knows. To all appearance the next session will not be in a condition to deal with the matter, we may therefore make up our minds for another period of do-nothing. The electors between the Rangitata and Opihi have, we repeat, been blind to their own interests. We wash our hands of it. Whatever the consequences in the deterioration in the value of property they have only themselves to blame for electing men who were prepared to sacrifice the interests of the district through fear of offending this or that one who may think differently from them. At one time the member for Geraldine can make a flowery speech in the Assembly in favour of County Councils, at, another time can pack a meeting to hoar him condemn it. When the Timaru County is once an accomplished fact we will hear him again expatiating upon the benefits derived from haviv g this form of local self-govern-ment established in our midst. Such vacillations, such weather-cock conduct on the part of our public men is enough to make sensible people spurn themfromthem for ever. Like Reuben they are unstable as water and shall not prevail. There will now be no more said about extravagance in buildings, extravagance in expensive furniture, extravagance in salaries. Only make Timaru head quarters and all will be right.