CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1041, 5 April 1882, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE DIVISION OF THE BOROUGH, ■ ♦ To the Editor, Sir,—You have in recent issues fully set forth all that could bo said against the division of this Borough into Wards, Will you allow me space for a few remarks on the other side of the question! There is, very generally, in the outlyling portions of the Borough a feeling that their requirements, in the shape of roads, &c,, have been year aftor year neglected, whilst works, not nearly so essential, if situated within a favored part, are continually being attended to, Ratepayers holding such yiows should certainly, vote for the division; it would enable them, by having separate accounts of receipts and expenditure for each Ward, to show clearly, when they were unfairly treated, and by having special representation, to direct' their sbare of expenditure as they may desire. ; Against this it has been said that the suburban portions of the Borough pay but a small proportion of the rates, and ; that they have received their proportionate 6hare of attontion and expenditure. The proposed division of the Borough would at all events do away with continual disputes on this ground, and consequently seems to me to claim support from both sides,

The second plea of the opponents of division, which I notice, iB: that the central parts have already done for themselves all that they can require, and that in future the funds will be available for beginning the works required in the more outlying parts. To begin with, you will notice that this plea is;destruotire of the former one, and so far as the past is concerned iB probably a more correct verflion of the fact. It really concedes the grounds for the present agitation, and since both sides agree on this point, we may consider the first plea noticed, namely, that the outlying parts had received their fair share of expenditure, abandoned, With regard to the promise for the future, that the central part of the borough may be expected, although still retaining the power in its hands, as it must do, undor the present system of eleotlons, to forego its share of expenditure, and to levy rates on themselves to carry out works in the outskirts, is utterly worthless. Will not its expenditure grow quite as fast as its rates increaso 1 And do not men naturally and universally attend to. their own interests first ?

; No! As in the past, bo will it be in the future. If elections are general for the whole of the borough, the central parts will retain an undue representation in the Council, and it is imbecile to suppose that they will postpone their own requirements because the suburbs were negleoted in the pasl, ■ The division of a borough into Wards generally favors a fair administration of its funds, and it is especially called for in the circumstances of Masterton, where certain sections of the borough require special works, which fail to elicit the interest of the other portions. •' II therefore think, all parties should agree to forward a measure, whioh certainly tends to justice, and in consequence an increased smoothness in the conduct of i(s business, and to which the' only reasonable , opposition appears to arise, from.a■ feeling- among the Borough Councillors, that it may involve a temporary inconvenience to some of them.

I am, E. RFobieb, Kurupuni, April 6th, 1882,