DISTRICT BOARD.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1119, 28 October 1873, Page 2

DISTRICT BOARD.

(To the Editor of the Westport Times.) Sir, —In Friday's issue, referring to what you very properly call captious objections raised against the Local Revenues Act by a few of the Lights of Westport, I would ask what conclusions are the outlying inhabitants of the district to draw from this senseless hue and cry ? I could understand it had the District Board met and attempted an abuse of its power to the injury of Westport, but in the present case it is

an unwarrantable assumption to suppose that, when the Board meets, it will abuse its power. Have Westportians no confidence in the gentlemen they have elected to represent their interests ? Such conduct, viewed at a distance, to use the mildest phrase it will admit of, appears, capricious, selfish, contemptible, and a reflection on the members of their choice. As a basis for conference (which I regret you think necessary) you have stated four propositions Defining the sources of revenue of District Board and its mode of application. Let us examine them—lst, District rating outside town boundaries. You suggest should be spent for benefit of outside district—Eight'. 2nd, Prom rating within the town, such rates spent within the Municipal boundary. So far right, but the other propositions all wrong and unreasonable, namely, the levying of the same or the withholding of power to levy the same deputed to the Mirtiicipal authorities. Surely here your printer's devil has been playing his pranks amongst the type. Instead of " deputed to," you must have meant " conceded by" the Municipal authorities. I have an higher opinion of human nature than to believe that a community like Westport would be so utterly selfish as to virtually say, we will take full advantage of the Act, return our representatives on the board, tax the outlying districts, use our voice and power in the expenditure of the revenues derived fromthesedistricts.andexercise our rights over the control of special appropriations. All these rights we will freely exercise on the entire district outside our Municipal boundary, but we will be entirely exempt ourselves. Power to levy deputed to the Municipal au hori ties ! and that power we will take good care shall never be granted to the District Board to levy one single penny, notwithstanding the District Board might wish to levy and spend such a rate within the town for its direct benefit ! This is virtually what the second and fourth propositions amount to. A Teekacb Member. [" Terrace Member's," letter sbaws plainly the necessity for a conference between Board and Council. The propositions are made expressly as a basis for discussion, the only method in fact whereby a full outspoken expression of opinion can be placed on record. A public meeting would be useless to this end. One or two would speak and the rest remain silent until the meeting -was over, and the real discussion would then commence at bars and street corners. Other letters on the subject are invited.—Ed. W.T.]