The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1883. COUNTY POVERTY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1291, 31 January 1883, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1883. COUNTY POVERTY.

It is the fashion for opposition journals to run a muck at counties, Tlie ministry now in office is doing all in its power to develop and strengthen county government—hence the origin of the prejudice against it in some quarters is not very difficult to discover. Under the heading of " County Poverty" the Wanganui Herald damns with faint praise its own particular district. The revenue of the Wanganui County at present only amounts to about £4OO a year, and it is evident under these circnmstances that it is not in a position to do much good. It does not follow, however, that the sum of four hundred 'pounds represents the possible income of the comity. It possesses two sources of, revenue, if it 'chooses to resort to them, which will speedily change its hundreds into thousands. First, it can levy a county rate, find, secondly, it can obtain a considerable sum of money under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act. Appparently the Herald regards a rate as unnecessary, as in the article to which we refer it does not consider this method of raising ways and means worthy of consideration, It takes up, however, tlie Roads and Bridges Construction Act, and instead of pointing out the value of this measure as a means of supplying local bodies with a revenue for road making, declares it to be a disappointment and a despair, and hints that undcy it local bodies will have to collapse. Now, nothing can be further from the truth than this, In the Wairarapa, for example, we have every reason to expect to get at least ten thousand pounds during the current year through the medium of the Roads and Bridges Construction Act. If the Wanganui County is not obtaining a corresponding amount it is not the fault of the Act, but it is simply the negligence or incapacity of the public men of the district in not taking advantage of it. It is the old, old story of neglected opportunities, which has been told of almost every district in the colony, Though we in the Wairarapa are now doing all that can be done to avail ourselves of the advantages of the new Act, we have sinned in the past, and have been wont to blame Acts of Parliament instead of ourselves. • Twenty/ years ago the Provincial Government were giving a road subsidy of two pounds for. each pound locally raised, but little or none of this liberal grant found its way over the Rimutaka, Settlers in those. days would sooner lose £3OO, and grumble at the party in power, than raise ,£IOO. We have, we are thankful to say, now left this unintelligent and suicidal policy in the j background, and in this district, where "Provincial Poverty" used to be so apparent, there is little or no apprehension of " County Poverty."