THE COUNTY SYSTEM IN CANTERBURY.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 511, 1 June 1869, Page 3

THE COUNTY SYSTEM IN CANTERBURY.

Tho following is the text of the resolutions brought forward by Mr Buckley in the Canterbury Provincial Council; — 1. Tbat with the view of more effectually providing for the administration of local affairs, particularly in the country district, the Council is of opinion that the Province should be divided into three portions, called the central, south, and northern counties of Canterbury, with a Board, to consist of one member, to be elected annually by each Road Board and Municipality. The Chairman of the County Board to have the same powers delegated to him as are held by the Superintendent. 2. County Boards to have control of the expenditure of the County Laud Revenue, being first specially appropriated to Road Boards, Public Works, and Immigration. 3. The members of the several County Boards to meet twice a year, /or the purpose of arranging all matters in which the Counties are jointly interested; the General Board having the same powers as granted by the Constitution Act to Provincial Councils, such meetings to be held in each County in rotation. 4. The Superintendent, as elected by the whole Province, shall be a member and chairman of the Central County Board, also chairman of the General Board.

THE COUNTY MOVEMENT AT TIMARU.

The Tiinaru and Gladstone Board of Works has come forward in favour of the county system, and has passed a resolution to that effect. The Board was thoroughly agreed as to the desirability of obtaining increased powers and iucreased revenue, and as to the necessity of complete severance from Canterbury. Referring to the resolution, the Timaru Herald says :—"We shall not to-day enter into any long discussion as to the particular form we think local self-government fikuld assume in the district, but we may express a hope that the evils of Wesfcland will be avoided, and the excellencies of the system in operation there copied. What we really want is that the revenue of the district shall be locally applied, the Road Boards getting sufficient funds to make and keep open the roads. This they do not do under the present system, and they cannot hope to do so as long a« we continue under the provincial control, for the expensive machinery must swallow up a large part of the revenue. The Board of Works, at the present moment, is carrying on a large part of the provincial work of the district, and without any serious increase in departmental expenses, it could undertake the whole of the local works, with vast benefit to the entire district. We hope the Committee appointed by the Board, to deal with the matter, will be fully prepared with proposals which can be endorsed by every person in the district, and that the people themselves will lose no time in backing up the action.