THE COUNTY CONFERENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 828, 25 July 1881, Page 2

THE COUNTY CONFERENCE.

On Saturday last the conference between the County Councils East and West took place at the County offices, Masterton. Present—Councillors Pharazyn (in the chair), G. Beetham, and J, V. Smith (County East): and Councillors Donald, Hawkins, McGregor, Bovs, Moore, and Jackson (County West), An apology was read from Or Phillips, who had missed the train, and who expressed himself Btrongly in favor of amalgamation; and it was stated that Or Maunsell had been prevented at the last moment from attending by urgent private business, The Chairman stated that the proceedings were necessarily informal, as no resolution-passed by the meeting would have any authority in law. He suggested that Or Hawkins, as the promoter of the proposal, should open the discussion, He questioned, himself, whether there was any general wish for amalgamation. If there were not, the present meeting was premature. The only way in which amalgamation could be effected was by a ratepayers' petition, which must be laid before Parliament one month before being considered, so that in any .case nothing could be done before next eession.

Or Hawkins said that if the proposition was already a forgone conclusion it was hardly worth while discussing it. The Chairman said the representatives present would indicate the general feeling of the districts which they represented.

Or Hawkins demurred to Councillors present expressing merely the views of their constituents, and not their own opinions.

Or McGregor was in favor of Councillors expressing their individual opinions freely. Cr Beelhara supported the view of Cr McGregor. Or Hawkins said that the reasons which induced him to take up the question'of amalgamation a short time back were all the stronger now that the Government proposed to increase the responsibilities and duties of the County bodies. With larger powers and more money at their disposal they should be constituted so as to attract the best men into their ranks. It might be said that he had a very limited experience in the district, but he would meet this by pointing out that the general experience men gained in public matters was not limited to one locality. Ho claimed that Counties East and West were divided by a bad geographical line, A river was never a good boundary, it was rather an arterial channel. It had been said that County E*st possessed a separate interest in its seaboard, but if the settlers on it were cut 08 from internal communication, they would consider themselves badly served. The seaboard was only one element in the progress of the district. He next pointed out the mutual advantage of connecting outlying districts with towns. The progress of the townships depended upon the wealth of the country, and the wealth of the country depended upon the activity and enterprise of towns.' There were practicality no separate interests. .The Chairman of County West was a member of the Eastern County. It was .difficult for County East with its vast area and imperfect communications to get very often a muster of its Council, and its business would be more efficiently managed if it amalgamated with County West. He said that Cr Smith opposed amalgamation on the ground that things were bad in the County, and yet he would not risk a change for fear that they should become worse. He ridiculed the local feeling, which was an element in the question, and which amounted to the expenditure of a pound a month for dinners in one or other of the townships, Any town which deckled the county interests on such a ground must have a very low opinion of the basis of its own prosperity. In England (Jounty tpwnj were frequently the most stagnant centre? ancf wero altogether eclipsed by neighboring pities which manufactures and enterprise had made great. Meetings would never make a town. He did not believe in being a member of any public body which had little or no work to do, and reminded the meeting that the larger the scope of any local body the greater the work they would have to do, and the better the men would be who took up the work, With a larger County their would bo no difficulty |i) 'spftliijg such a question as the boundarjes of Higiiway dhjtrij'ts, l'h,e work of fhq larger body 'would b'e njor'e economically and efficiently done. At present fhe small bodjes in the Wairarapa pould pot purchase the improved plant necessary for doing 'road work cheaply and efficiently, Or Hawkins concluded a very able speech by pioying— That in the opinion of this Conference the Counties of East and West Wairarapa should be united in one County, Cr McGregor seconded the motion, He was glad that Cr Hawkins had ventilated the question, as the ratepayers would have some data on which to decide it for themselves, He understood that it would be objected to the proposal that in the event of a union the Eastern division would not have a sufficient representation in the Council, but as the Government had' power tp assign the proportion of the representation justice would probably be done in this respect "jtye two Counties found that one diginear"answered %jr purposes admirably, why not ope" clpfk and one office 1 The interests of the two Counties dovetailed—why not sweep away the boundary line? They had too much local government, and it required to be concentrated. He pointed out the weight the Wairarapa as a united County would haVwJt.h the Government, He hoped the time would fhe Wairarapa would not be split n'p'i'nto so many faotions and parties, and if they did not see their way to. adopting the proposal for a union at present, they would be trusted do so by next session. Cr Beetham referred to the discussion on amalgamation in 1878 when he was favorable to union, but his county decided by r ( 9 s ,# tio P, against such a course. He himself 'ascertained that at this time the settlers in 'Oastla'poinjE aijd Awba ridings were unanimous in opposing ama'lgama: tion, and it was only at Gladstone, and in a portion of the Wainuioru riding, that the proposal met with any support. It was, however, decided that when joint action between the two Counties was necessary they should work together, and li.e did ppt knpw of any instance in which this decision had not Been psrrjpd. out or any publio advantage lost through want of union.—(Or Pharazyn Hear I Hear I) The general feeling in New Zealand was favorable to each locality spending within its own limits itß own rates, and he did not believe that for some years to come there would be any' surplus fund available in the Wairarapa for. expenditure on a broader basis. He claimed that County East had, in matters of joint concern, been more generous in its expenditure than County East, and in one

instance had Bpent money outside its own limits' on'the Taueru road. Vithadj however,; subsequently 80-that in :]/ieiv ,of the inadequacy of its own' revenue, it couid/'nbtV.do'this' any more, If the Counties amalgamated), the County which had the larger rate would have the larger representation, and in view of this preponderance of power, it was not unreasonable for those living along the silent highway to insist upon retaining all the revenue they raised. He claimed that if no separate interests existed, would boroughs, for example, be willingjto cast in their lots with the County. He deprecated taking any : pbll at the present on such ut proposal, It would be better."to wait for the coming elections in November, when Councillors would have to seek're-election, ; He spoke of the pleasure with which he 1 had listened to Or Hawkins'learned speech, and .was glad, they had so able a public man in the' district.

Or Smith'would move'an amendment. He hoped to be'deemed impartial, as he had interests in both Counties, and they predominated, if anywhere, in County West. 1 He proposed," That it was not at present desirable to take any, take any action having for its object the amalgamation 1 of the two Counties," He reminded the meeting that the geographical boundaries of the two Counties had been very carefully considered when they were, framed. If the country had suffered from one thing more than another it .was from tinkering its constitu. tion.and he considered that it was'better to err a little on the side of delay to give thjngß time to sottle themselves. If County East expected County Westwould have a surplus available for the road to Castlepoint there would be some advantage in the proposal, but they knew very well it had not funds sufficient for its own requirements,. County East had been in former times plundered of its revenue, (Hear] Hear!) and seeing how much they had sufferedin the past, they might wall be suspicious of any change. He had by personal enquiry found there was a very strong feeling among the East Coast settlers against the proposal. When the County had had money to spend its Council had managed to meet and do a fair share of work. (Cr Beetham Hear 1 Hear I) Now it would be prudent to wait till they knew the result of the Government proposals, If County East united with County VYest, in bad weather its represfintatives conld not attend.meetings, and would be at a disadvantage. Or Boys seconded the amendment, he did not desire to speak on the subject, as in November they would meet their constituents and they would have to consult them on the question. The Government proposals might alter the position of the question, but at present he could not support the proposal, Or Hawkins referring to Cr Smith's objection to the Counties spending each others rates said he had contemplated spending not the rates but the land fund on works of geueral utility to the united County. The public funds entrusted to the Counties for expenditure would be more important than rates,

Or McGregor (raid that it was evident that Counties as now constituted wore partly a failure. If they were strengthoned they would hold their own better when they were nttacked, as at present in the Assembly. The alternative of improving: them was infinitely preferable to a return to Provincialism, If' County East were properly represented in the united County it would bo its own neglect if its interests suffered. He however, believed that the representatives of County East were quite equal to looking after jts affairs, (Or Beetham: Hear! Hear!)

. Or Beetham said that as Counties could not spend money in improving seaboard communication, a united County could not do justice to the settlers who lived on the seaboard.

Or McGregor: County East cannot do justice to them either. Or Beetham said the Government were favorable to giving County Councils the very fullest power. (Hear I Hear I) He was glad Or McGregor was against a return to Provincialism. The Wairarapa had lost too much by it in former days. When a balance was struck between the provincial receipts and expenditure of Wellington, the West Coast and the Wairarapa, it was found that there was a sum of £66,000 due to this district. This sum had passed away for ever from tl.am.

Th/e Chairman said the discussion would do good, but the proposal as a matter of l)U3Jness was premature. '"The general knowledge of Cf flawjfjns let} to flue "conelusion but the special knowledge of older residents pointed to another. He had heard no argument which had changed his own view. As an abstract question he could admit the force of' Or Hawkins' reasoning, but if his views were carried out they could have nothing better than Provincial Government. Or Beetham would remember with himself the struggle which took place with the former Provincial Government between the centres of the country was This might not occur again,, but they must not overlook the fact that as a district grey larger 'the tendency to! centralise increased. He differed frorn Cr Hawkins as to tho bad boundary line, The river was the division for only J5 miles. The only improvement he could think of would have been to substitute the Mangaraki range for the Ruamahunga, He had formerly favored amalgamation, but he wished to wait till some tangible advantage could be obtained from" the union. The trifling expense of two administrations was not a sufficient argument for the change. In practice the two bodies had acted as one. He himself had sought a seat in County East with a view to this result. Whether the principle of expending rate* in the locality, where they were raised Were right or wrong, it 'would be very difficult iq the practice in the Wairarapa'/; ,B''waul(i bs to fhe interest of Mastertoh- to aid iV forming a road through the Mungapak'eha I ,' but'as the Borough waß outside the County it could not assist, and the settlers round Masterton could not reasonably be expected to be rated for such a purpose. It would not be wise either to base any action on t"he proposals, as they were unlikely'to'be parried during the present session, The £sooQ.loab in-Qounty fast, for whjoh they were just abiM to' strike an annually recurring rate, would be a practioal difficulty in the way of union, and in County West the indefinite responsibility of the maintenance of the Seventy Mile Bush road would be another, Another difficulty would be the administrative powers the Government proposed tg give Counties with reference to the Dog' Act "and Rabbit Act. He believed the Rabbit Aculorie would settle the question of 'amalgamation as' tKe two Counties could not work the Act together. When the functions of Counties were in a more settled state than they now were the question of amalgamation might be, settled, fle claimed that there had been more workjj of utility constructed during the past three years' m tlje Couijty tjjat during any similar period during the past, 20 years, Tho question was one which must by law be decided by the ratepayers, but he trusted that the result of the present meeting would be to settle it for the time being, •Cr Smith's amendment was then put to the meeting and carried on the voices, only Ors Hawkins and McGregor giving their voices against it,