CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2335, 1 July 1886, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

OOONTY ADMINISTRATION

Sir,—l cannot avoid , referring to the administration of County affairs by the Wairarapit East County Council, for notwithstanding the ery ,oat ag&insi the administration about two yeah or moro since, the burden on settlers was inconv parably lighter than it js now, pot that our roads are better maintained, hor that our expenditure need be heavier, but heavier by far it is, and were it not for the safeguards by Parliament, it id .impossible'to say to what extent our burdens would go. In the case of some Ridings the maximum rate has been imposed this, year again,, and for what reason ? Simply and solely for tho liquidation of the debt incurred .by others or another Riding, the Biding in .which the debt during the year ending, the 31st March 1886 has been incurred, strange to say, escaping with a smaller rate than others that morally if not legally had nothing to do with the expenditure, as I think I shall be able to show before lam done. The Council this time last year had to face a debt of about 1(1600,' and the Finance Committee could only as it were account for about L 750 of this sum, ~ In. other words the expenditure of the balance could not well be tabulated. The Council h'ad no'altornative but to levy a general rate -as ,an easy way out of a disagreeable duty,' and for. the future avoid debts. False hope, however, for this yoar we are little if any better off, and the unfortunate things is that those ratepayers directly interested and responsible, get off with a smaller I rife than outsiders, ."When we : bear tin mind that the principle that. Hidings should bear: their own expenditure was adopted some years agpj and . adhered to in principle although not in practice since, it becomes a .manifest , abmirdity '.to, retain a system that is' being in ;.priwtice.' It simply., means, that, it -is' no safeguard .whatever for < Hidings, and .that it it.simply a-dead ..letter m the/case of those ridingß com- . manding a! ..majority. of members ;in. fc, Council., Tp illujkrife wtatTmaan.the: Alfredton Ridingia'rat»d/at|d- (general' and separate,rates) for a liability incurred outside the lbie:,one thirf of this", partieular in which' ; the .

suppysing I tl^U^^^^B[^9BEßS the rate ..ver tho Couiicil,'. levy a genoi'al rtrto of theljK|HHH and, as |3 is tho. maximdmTOHSfiQSß i levied', wo would have howmuflF9HßH| i tain ofirro&dj't simpl^(tKa'MslnflSMH • mbv of. nil; - ■ I-raußfr 'giv&XiCridib *to 08M ■ McQardle andHJood tow i miuimimiiie ;) the ,'roiiuityv but must -go ' JJI • rest satisfied till tres- j I , ponsiblo foKos6wn r ' u re. The is P - that the 6ufclying.'distiio^rJeHva"ffli K 'i*eJj ;v i benefit from the bridge jjj',the Mutertoa .<!'' • . Riding docs. To beginmth, the argument * I boars the absurdity of it on iti face, tM. i even .were it,so,-it is contrary to the i principle adopted, .by,, the Council, to •charge ; other ridings with any share of , the expenditure. SupposiW,; as is the case,'that settlers in the outlying distrieta 1 have unbridged rivers v 'fe ; cross before coming within the bo ut nclat tea. eTthe Masterton Riding,' surely t?.cro«s.-pne other . river,is.no.great'ex^ra.,trouble , or expense, or supposing <-iih«- rate loft' to us ! for' expenditure within' the , , riding is not sufficient to'koep -<tur open for traffic, of what benefit to in the bridge on the confines of v Mastert^; To say the least it.is the rtr'ira'e; of-Jmajji, nanimona-.pii and comparatively rioli districfc" to eitraA- ' from the pockets of striving settlers in a back district, funds with which to .build their, bridges. I;.have no reason ta doubt, the reports of.the last.^outieil/ < meeting as appearing in "thepubli<&4 press. At the same time it- seems', unaccountable that the Council should > propose that the interest on k loan of\ £2500 borrowed for, and expended entirely in' the- mterista of • Cashpoints and Wainuioru ratepayer should be borne by tho County gsiforally, Perhaps the stereotyped argument ■ Alfredtoii and ,w .« much interested in tlus aa-thVfijpUMamied ridings will also.aiiit harq\ butl.fear not, and some'other'inukbWespiM' to, im we have a resolution of ffie Coumjl es this matter in our favor, but a Couneil that can propose charge the jntSr'Sist te, suggested, is' also capable 'oT"''|assiiig' a . fresh resolution, contrary to tfe; one to which I refer. It had been, fouiid'that lu many instances railways in eoiintieijvore - often unfairly dealt ahviale -which an amending Act was] mm& lui • session in Parliament, partly jrith this matter, the intention being at) (p$ to ensure that ratos raised in a ridih&.jloß* a certain percentage, should be therein. I am nqt in ai poiitW.W present to refer to the Act, mq therefore^ »annot say how far the intention.,wsjM oarried out. In the clauses for suspending the County 1 ! Act were repealed. This if to be.regretted as iiothing tended to make CounciUora careful so much as this sword continually • hanging over their heads. In any ease it 'iff wrong in principle to deprive ratepayers of the power to elect thstthesvstsnl' of local Government should be established in the county. The Jarroganoy of the ' position assumed by the .Council, at jits last meeting towards the Board, " that unless the Board ijaroi'and,' willing to hand over to the Couoty' tije - amount (£79B)_of such deficien«y,' County will be" compelled to leave 1 tKe;'' roads in a state of disrepair.' t•peak of boycotting in Ireland ' after this. This :is boycotting- in Her''' Zealand; with a vmigoanoß. It' mepg . simply ,this,.; that - the Couiiflil ' •!» unable to perform its duties, .in which case, instead of appearing ridiculous, it should have transferred its powers jjvhe Castlepoint Board, as ordinary rtpa&r of roadi tan be best and most MOHomwalfy carrid out by the -Boards, The words ift italics are not mine. They :.'.are the collective voice of the Council. Another ] attempt to milk the "County the benefit of a Riding was fortunatelyw defeated by a majority. I refer to the costs iti Steven's case.' For the credit, of the Riding concerned, or its tives, it matters little which, it wero well" had the proposal never been mado. I presume the sum named covers the total - liability in this case 1 What urges rae to enquire is that in a recent statement sub-' mitted, the liability was returned at £l2O. To Bum up I think the time has eome when each Eidihg ■ should bear its own burdeni, no matter how occurring, and - that districts that are unfairly treated Is' this respect should see that their repriisentatives are backed up iji endeavoring';' to get rid of the system. That it. can:' b»'. done there can be no question, but' theye are different ways, and ways that 'would-' := affect the entire- County. In any cue, expediency must'be the first consider- ~ at,ion. Apologising for trtspmng at.•• such an undue length on your vflnablr ' space, ■ Jm I am, etc., Chas. Micquimk, . ' ' Alfrodton, 28th June, 1880. ....