The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1883. THE GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1176, 20 November 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1883. THE GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The Geraldiue Countj Council has no hope left. Its own inactivity and absolute uselessness hare killed it, Mount Cook has separated from it, its Chairman has resigned, and discontent with its administration prevails throughout the whole county. We have stood by it faithfully, not because we thought it deserved it, but because we felt that its existence was necessary. We have been deluded by the hope that it would some day awaken to a realisation of its duties, that it would then perform its functions as it ought to, and that it would eventually be rendered useful. We have been sadly deceived, it has never done anything, and when it is past

and gone no one can point out any, good done by it. We are still convinced that a County Council is necessary to build and maintain large bridges connecting road districts, and carry oat other works too heavy for Road Boards. For years the Temuka and Levels Road Boards were discussing the question of the Opihi Bridge, and they would have been discussing it still only for the County Council. It is the opinion of those best informed on the subject that had the Opihi Bridge been left in the hands of the two Boards it would have never been done. Disagreements between other neighboring Road Boards are not unknown also, and it is in this respect that we feel the County Council is necessary, It ought to keep in repair connecting links between road districts and perform other works in the carrying out of which Road. Boards could not agree. But it has sadly neglected its duties i» this respect, and th'B is why the people have got tired of it. Ihe Levels Road Board—or at any rate some members of that body— have got up a petition to abolish it, and steps are about to be taken in the Geraldine and Mount Peel districts to form a separate County of their own. No doubt it was on account of the latter movement that Mr C. G. Tripp resigned. He saw all his efforts to make the Council useful thwarted by the actions of the majority; he knew he. could never do any good while things remained as they were, and sooner than continue the mummery that was going or. he resigned. He did not, however, until he saw the Rangitata Bridge p.operly through. He stuck to that manfully, ani credit is due to him for it. Mr Tripp is one of the most publicspirited men in South Canterbury, and if he had men like himself in the Coancil we feel certain that that body would have a different record to-day. He and the residents of his, and the Geraldine road, districts, however, appear like ourselves to realise that a County Council is necessary, and consequently they are considering the advisability of forming the two districts into a separate Council. In doing so it is not, we believe, the intention to abolish the road districts. These are to remain as they are. We highly approve of this plan. The Road Boards are too useful, and it would not under any account do to abolish them. We may, however, suggest that it would be advisable to take the Temuka Road Board into the County on the same terms. The three road districts' would make a nice comp&ct County ; their interests for the most part are identical, and we 'eel certain that to amalgamate would be to the interest of all concerned* Let us suppose, for instance, that Geraldine and Mount Peel have been formed into a separate County, and that the Temuka district has no connection with it, will not irrigae tion be difficult to carry out ? The Temuka district runs between the Geraldine district and the sea,, and if irrigation could not be carried on very well in one without the concurrence of the other. There are many ways in which their interests are so closely allied that it would, we are convinced, be very desirable for them to unite, and for this reason we hope they will.

THE PROPOSED TEMUKA BOROUGH.

News has at length been received to the effect that the proposed Borough of Temuka has been ' knocked on the head.' Mr Uprichard, who has acted as Secretary for the counter petitioners has received a letter to that effect. Mr Talbot will, no doubt, chuckle over 'he success of his opposition to it, but it is possible that he may jet live to regret the part he has taken in the Blatter. There is no doubt but it will be some time before all this is forgotten by the principal portion of the people of Temuka. But the Committee who were appointed to carry into effect the programme adopted at the public meeting are certainly to blame for the turn effects have taken. Nothing but their absolute indifference, laziness, apathyor whatever it may be called—has led to the failure of their labors. The public meeting unanimously affirmed that the town should be proclaimed a borough with the exception of Mr Talbot, who opposed it on the ground that Temuka was only a rural village and never would be any more. At that time there was scarcely a man in town who was not in favor of the proposal, and if the Committee had worked energetically they could hare got so many signatures then that any opposition would have been quite useless. Instead of that it took them two or three weeks to get up the petition, i and when they had obtained about 150 signatures they got tired and gave it up, believing they had a sufficient number. A month or two's delay occurred before

the petition was forwarded afterwards' and then Mr Talbot passed a resolution at the meeting of the Road Board which elicited the letter containing the information that the town would be proclaimed on the 17th of October. New machinery was at once put in motion. The cry was raised in the ArowheDua township that if the Borough were proclaimed no cattle would be allowed to run on the common. It does not matter who resortsa to this ' dodgery.' It was done; it proved effectual;, the people were deluded into believing it, and> they: signed the petition thinking that this was correct. It was the only thing that could have induced them to get up the counter petition, and it will have the effect of doing themselves and the Road Board district more injury than the people in the centre of the town. It would be absolute nonsense to prevent cattle from running on th? common. No nun in his senses would ever think of such a thing. It was, therefore, very foolish of the people to believe these stories, but when the Committee took no means of contradict ing it they could not be blamed. 1 Haw-. | ever, it is useless to discuss the past ! now. Let us think what is to be done for the future advancement of the town. From the beginning we have favored a Town Board in preference to a Borough, and if our advice had at first been taken we should have hadTewufca brought under the provisions of the Town Districts Act long ago. Steps ought to be taken at once to constitute a Town-j Board. We shall have sufficient area at this side of the railway, and as all our local revenue is derived from.the centre of the town, we shall' have sufficient to keep that portion of the town in splendid order without having one penny rates to pay, In the course of a few years, when the Arowhenua portion of the town is groaning under the rates that the Road Board will be levying on them, and getting nothing for it, they will come and petition the Town Board to take them under its wings, and when this state of things arrive femuka as a whole can be constituted a Borough.