THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, JULY 19, 1894. THE DIVISION OF THE COUNTY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2687, 19 July 1894, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, JULY 19, 1894. THE DIVISION OF THE COUNTY.

Whenever anyone wants to carry his point, he makes his reasons for doing so as strong as possible, and very often goes to the extent of exaggerating possible dangers. If there are no better reasons for opposing the separation of the Levels district than those given by Mr Talbot last Tuesday evening, it does not appear to us that we need trouble much about the matter. The maintenance of the Opihi bridge was the chief bogey which Mr Talbot brought forward to frighten us with. Be said the Levels had no interest in the Opihi bridge, and would not care to contribute towards its maintenance, but he admitted that the law would compel it to do so. The Levels, he said, would not pay for the maintenance of the Opihi bridge without going to law, but to this it may be replied, so much the worse for the Levels. The Levels County Council would not do such a stupid thing as go to law with the full knowledge that it would not only be beaten but tnulcted in costs besides. If it did that once it would not do it twice. It is most extraordinary, too, that when it was suggested to Mr Talbot that a clause should bo put into the Levels County Bill rendering the maintenance of the Opihi bridge one of its imperative duties, he pooh-poohed the idea. He did so because he knows the present law is sufficiently clear as regards the liability of adjoining local bodies to maintain boundary roads and bridges. There is therefore nothing in the question of the Opihi bridge, because, county or no county, the Levels district must contribute towards its maintenance. The next objection raised by Mr Talbot was more tangible. He said the Levels district contributes half the rates, but it has not half the bridges within its area. If the Levels separate it will have half the rates, but not half the bridges. The logical position, therefore, is this: The Levels people at the present time contribute more than their share towards the maintenance of our bridges, and we want to keep them doing so, whether they liked it or not. Mr Quinn put the matter more fairly. He said the Levels people were quite justified in the steps they were taking, and of course we were justified in looking after our own interests. No doubt this is correct if we disregard the equity- of compelling the Levels people to continue to contribute more than their fair share towards the maintenance ef our bridges. Against this there is the possibility of the Levels, in the event of being prevented from carrying out its present plans, taking stops to abolish the road boards, so as to avoid having two rating bodies. It is evident that there would be no difficulty in carrying such a proposal in the • Levels district, and the question is, Would it be carried in the Temuka, Geraldine, and Mount Peel districts ? First of all, the Levels having half the voting power, the promoters of the scheme for abolishing road boards would start with half the ratepayers at their, back. Then the question is, How many in the other road districts are opposed to two rating bodies ? Judging by the efforts put forth in the Mount Peel and Geraldine districts, there are a great many. In the event of the Levels’ attempt to constitute a county being frustrated, the probabilites are that they will try to abolish road boards altogether,. and as they would start with half the voting power they would very likely be able to pick up in the other districts a sufficient number to destroy our road boards. Now it appears to us that there is more danger in this than in the separation of the Levels. We have all our roads made; they have not, and if they were to abolish our roads, they would then make us contribute towards making their expensive roads, whether we like it or not. In our opinion it would be safer to allow the Levels to go. We should then have a nice compact county ; it could be worked with a minimum of expense, and we should not have any more trouble with the Levels. As regards the expense of the present system, it is entirely imaginary. Supposing, for instance, we abolished the road boards, we should want an overseer or foreman of works in each of the present road districts, and also a county superintendent over them, whose duties would be to travel from place to'place to see that works were properly done. Any one occupying such a position would bp a high-aalaried engineer, and as he would want to travel from Pareora to Eangitata, he would be frequently away from home and his expenses would have to be paid. In addition to this we should want a county clerk, and without the slightest doubt the expenses would in the end be greater than they are Looking at the position from every point of viu.., •’-<» ij ea f an( j jf present system is us Levels were content to rema.~ J we should like it best; but they are uoi,, and, as it is quite possible the Levels people may give us a good deal of trouble at some future time, it would be just as well to let them go. As for the town boards, their policy is to keep the road boards in existence at any cost. If the road boards were abolished it is quite possible, as Mr Talbot said, they may be made to pay a rate equal to what road boards pay now in addition to their own local rates. However, if such were the case, Parliament would very soon relieve them, by placing them independent of the county. The Temuka and Arowhenna Town Boards could relieve themselves of county rates any moment by amalgamating and forming a borough. Mr Talbot deserves credit for the energy and euteprise with which he has hitherto opposed the division of the county, but we are very doubtful that he is doing right in opposing the separation of the Levels. There is danger that if frustrated in its present action the Levels will abolish road boards, and that is what all would regret in the end. Wo have merely pointed these things out, but of course those who think we should resist the proposed separation have every right to resort to every means in their power to do so. At the same time, it may ns well be known that the Government is about to introduce a local government measure which is likely to upset all preseut calculations.