The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, MAY 10, 1884. THE COUNTY QUESTION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1682, 10 May 1884, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, MAY 10, 1884. THE COUNTY QUESTION.

On Meredith lias given a notice of of motion in favor of ..reducing the County rate'toa more nominal amount tlian even the proposed eighth part of a penny, on - ■'the ground of excessive taxation. '* Also another', notice of inotion for transferring the County .roads to" the 'control df the - ' load' Boards. 'lt-appears to us that Cr iMerkbith will have'a difficult. task to make a case from his own premises. If the County roads are placed under the control of the load Board, will.these .bodies maintain them out of their existing rates, or will: they increase their ratesjin, order to provide for thorn ■? Cr Meredith, as Chairman of the Masterton load Board, must be iu a position to give an explicit opinion on this point. If .his Road Board is prepared to maintain the County roads out of, the existing road rate, it is quite apparent that theßoai'd has struck.aj heavier rate than it was justified in imposing on the'ratepayers, and that itj has boenextremcly.cnlpable as a taxing body ataperiod;when country settlers can ill afford fo'pay High rates. If,"on ;the other jianij, .the load' Board will have to increase-its rate to maintain jthese ■ roads,vGr Meredith will be ibound': to: tell the ratepayers in his load Board (plainly' that'. in order, to suspend tile bo necessary to increase theload Board rate. We trust that •■ now, .when 1 much of the strong feeling' which. was formerly generated; an, this question bus evaporated, the.discussion upon it will be fair arid open on ■both' sides. If Meredith is aolo■tb'show that be can substantially, reduce the :burdens which Country settlers now bear, we will heartily support hitfi even to the extent.

of abolishing tlie County. Or McCardle lias called upon tlio Council to voluntarily surrender its functions on the ground that tho sentiment of tho ratepayers is universal against it. It is evident 'that Cr McOardle has over-stated the strength of the j suspension party. ,If v ;the. ratepayers had beori antagonistic to a man it is very plain that the County would not now be in existence, We quite admit that there was, a lew months ago, a strong expression of opinion recorded against the Count!; ultt it is believed that tlio hostility then displayed has been considerably-modified by ulterior consideration, and that the suspension party is not strong enough at the present timo to unset ■ the County by petition. If it is, by all : means let' it put forth its strength. The County suspension party have another string to their bow. As Cr McOardle pointed out, the question will shortly have to be submitted to the ratepayers themselves. In November all' the Councillors retire, and if, as Cr McOakdle affirms, suspenders will be returned by overwhelming majorities, the question will then bo absolutely decided, and we will bow to tlio will of the people. Wo venture, however, to dissent from Cr McCardle on,'this point. We do not believe that at tlio coming elections county suspenders wijl be returned by overwhelming majori-'' ties. We challenge Cr' McOakdle to leave the issue to the decision of the people in the coming -.election, but vje do not think he will ; have. the courage to abide by this test, Jf a new petition is got up and a sufficiency ot signatures obtained-the latter supposition being very improbable—the County is unlikely to be suspended before November. The suspenders have'two strings to their bow, (1) the right of petition, and (1) the coining election; hut neither of them arc likely to accomplish their purpose, If either were a certainty, Cr McOardle would not call upon the Council to voluntarily surrender, We shall be glad to find either Cr Meredith Or Cr McCardle able to show a fortnight hence that the burdens of the ratepayers can be lessened by abolishing the County. If they can do this, they will desoryo success in their enterprise, but if they fcil, as we believe they will, to demonstrate that any real reduction of rates can be effected, if thoy merely want to diminish the County rate in order to increase the Masterton and Pahiatua Road Board rates, they will, even if they obtain tho confidence and support of country settlers, scarcely deserve it, The County party are endeavoring to act fairly towards the ratepayers, and we believe that the conciliatory course which is being adopted by it will bo appreciated.