The Temuka Leader THURSDAY. MAY 10, 1883. THE GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1103, 10 May 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY. MAY 10, 1883. THE GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

At the Geraldine Road Board meeting of ratepayers held recently the question of abolishing the County Council was mooted, and every one seemed inclined to think that it was a most useless body. We are not surprised at this. Ths Geraldine Council lias been a great failure. There is not one good thing it can show for all the years it has been in existence. But ifc is not the fault of the institution. The fault lies in the fact that the Act was not brought into force in the district for a long time. In fact it has never been taken up heartily. Most of those who have been members of it appear to have carried out their duties, as it were, unddr a protest, and were more inclined to ridicule the insti tution than to try to take advantage of the powers it gave them to advance the inteiestsof the district. We remember an intellectual Councillor moving a resolution to the effect that they should adjourn until there was some business to do! When ratepayers put people of that kind into the Council it is no wonder that it has proved a failure But if we want to find out whether such a ody can be useful or not let us look around us, and see what has been the result of taking advantage of the extended power it grives. Let us go to Ashburton and examine what it has done there. Let us sea how it lias turned the barren plains into fertile lands, and done many other things for the country which Road Boards could never h&ve done. Then turn to Waimate and see how splendidly it is domg the work of the Road Boards. We notice also that four Road Bonrds in the County of Waihemo in Otago are at present m n rging into the County, and tha', iu fact, wherever the instiuuijn has had a fair trial it has done fairly well. Some couple of years Ago Mr Moody brought up in the Geialdine Council the question of 'he irrigation of the plains, but it was not listened to. Some six months ago Mr John Talbot introduced it a second time, and it w'll veiy likely be carried out. If the members of the Council had put their shoulders to the wheel and worked with the tools the Counties Act gave them, instead of using them under a protest, they would not have made such a failure of it as they have done, and the people would not have been so discontented with the institution now, Apparently they are beginning to use it now. Efforts are being made to get a water supply for the plains, and, under these circumstances, we do not think it would bo advisable to make any alteration for the present. We certainly sympathise with those who hold that it ouijht to be abolished or reformed, or something done to it, but we think that when they are just beginning to do something is the wrong time to do it. There is one thing which we think they might very well do. It is well known that the Kakahu is rich in minerals, and as the principal bridge has already been made, it would take only a small sum to construct a railway to that district. The County Council might very Hell use their influence to try to get this line made by the Government, There is no reason why it should not be made. It would certainly be a reproductive work because we believe the line alone which Would be brought down from that district would pay. The land wants lime manure badly, and if it could b« got cheaply down by railway it is very little doubt that farmers would go in very extensively for it. The County Council could do many things that would be useful for the district if it only tried, and as it is just dawning upon its members that they ought to do something, we think it would be as well to let them go on as they are for the present.