EDITORIAL.

Thames Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 10356, 3 May 1911, Page 4

EDITORIAL.

COUNTY MATTERS.

REPRESENTATION OP RIDINGS.

The members of the Thamdsj'Cbiinty Council are .it present Cviwi-jteri'ig' tlio advisability of maiking _a'c!ian@o in the system of represeulation, and from what we can gather the proposal meets with general appror.il. Under tho present conditions, it is held, some portions of +he County are not adequately represented, and: we are inclined to agree with the contention. Talcs for instance the Tairua district. Ife is practically unrepresented on the Council, and yet it possesses valuable/ industries and groat possiWlities. The proposal made to open up the country lying lUstWaen the Kauaeramgai Valley and Tairua ia an important one, and we would like to see more activity displayed in this connetion. .Upon the last occasion on. ■which a deputation from the County Council interviewed the Hon. R. McKenzie, and asked tha (Minister to increase the grant, Mr McKenzie pertinently asked if the money already voted had been spent, and receiving! an .answer" *in tho negative he gave a broad hint to the "effect that he preferred to see the first .votfj spent before' he would! seriously consider -tlic request for another, iSleeing that there is. now a chance for the Tairua district to come into its own we think that it should have special representation on the Council, aiad the proposal to constitute a new liding east of Thames proper, with the dividing range" as the wesitim boundary, is one that sliQuld meet with the hearty approval of those who reside in that district. Each district of! note will tie repre^iented by a member, and in this connecitioii we are pleased to note that a separate riding, including tho Hamraiki Plains settlers is to be established. It includes all that portion of the County lying on tho west side of the Waihou or Thames Eivter,with the exception of Opani Point (which is included in Tofoira riding), and as settlement is progressing in tha Tairua district and on the Hauraiki Plains, it is Ibut fitting tha* Una area should .bo represented. The Council is to Ixi commended for its movement in the direction indicated, and we are confident that it will make for increased efficiency of administration and the progress of the County as a whole as well as that of tho individual ridings.