The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1881.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 686, 7 February 1881, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1881.

Mr Pharaz'yn, in his second letter, which we published in our last issue, gives a very good account of his. stewardship, and if his third onedealing with the future of the County —proves equally satisfactory; the Wairarapa will bo fortunate. Finding that without a disturbance of existing local interests the proper mission of County government could not be carried out in this district, it was a great, advantage to' us that the Wairarapa West Council should have, as it were, undertaken a special sphere of usefulliess.in the Forty-Mile J3ush with such marked success, To Mr Pharazyn, the Chairman of the County, and to Mr Beetham, one of its representatives in the Assembly, is nminly due the very liberal Government grants which have enabled it to accomplish public works of permanent utility, not only for the' Wairarapa, but for the Colony at,large. In representing the interests of the County at head-quarters, it is impossible to speak too highly of Mr Pharazyn's services. The money which he has from time to time so fortunately procured' for the County has been, wisely and prudently spent by Messrs Mooro and McGregor, the Public Works Committee, and Mr King, the' County Engineer. Too much praise cannot be accorded to these gentlemen for the care and skill with, which they discharged the onerons' duties which have devolved upon them. The Comity has done little else beyond improving and maintaining communication between the Wairarapa and the adjacent Counties of Waipawa .and Manawatu, and preparing for settlement ithe'iine blocks in the Forty-Mile Bush; but the value of these works cannot bo overestimated. As yet we hardly realize their importance, and it will' only be year by year, as the' population- "increases to the north of.Masterton that we shall comprehend the great work 1 that has been accomplished,-and. ad-' mire the foresight and sagacity which expended such large sums of money in a wilderness. As yet we hardlf.recognise the Forty-Mile Bush as other than an outpost of the Wairarapa, but some day we shall wake up to find it outstepping in population and material wealth the more favored portions of the Yalley, and our " ugly duckling" willhave turned out to be a swan.' - How- ; ever happy the first chapter in the history of the County may have been, wo cannot expect its succeeding one to ) be a repetition of it. In the past,- the | Chairman of the County has) when lie [ struck the rock, been able to obtain a

liberal supply of water, but. the day for working miracles with the Colonial Treasury lias past, and the grants which have hitherto done so much, will, in the future, 1 grow small by degrees and beautifully less. The public works in the Forty-Mile -bush have been simply an episode in tho history of the County, and it may be said tliat without this episode the Council would have no tale to tell. The episode lias indisputably demonstrated that we possess in the Council very ablo public servants, and for this reason it is very desirable that a•• further development of County government should enable the public to retain their services, One strong argument why the present method ot electing County Councillors should not be materially changed is that it has brought capable

men forward to discharge important public duties, and trained' them to official responsibilities, The success of any local self-government depends upon, good men as well as upon!' wise measures, and we should 'be sorry to see new legislation deprive us of- those public servants that the existing Act has brought into the field.; ;;