THE WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1105, 24 July 1879, Page 3

THE WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Sib, — It must have occurred to the least intelligent elector Avithin the AVaipa County that the outcry which Avas raised against the Counties Act being brought iuto force Avas not so unreasonable as many supposed. The Waipa County Council hava boon in %vorking harness for a considerable time, and have had ample opportunities of demonstrating to the electors the advantages they arc receiving under that form of government. What havo their benefits been ? Nothing Avhatovcr. The principal duty of tho Council, so far, has been in distributing the HighAvay Board subsidies, which Avere formerly sent direct by the Government to those bodies. The Couucil have recently taken taken over the Narrows Bridge, and Avill do tho same by the To Rore Bridge. Thcso Avorks Avill uoav be kept in repair out of the General County Fund, so that the Newcastle aud other districts Avill have to contribute toAvards the expenses, Avhich is palpably unfair. But the Waipa County Council are becoming tired of their inactivity, and Avould add to their duties the engaging and looking after an Engineer for the whole County, thereby doing away Avith the present system of each Highway Board haying an 3-ngineer of their own. This at first would appear to be a saving of both trouble and expense to the Board, but really it is nothing of the kind. What guarantee Avould any Board have that the expense would be less, and that Avhen the Engineer's services Avero required he would come. An Engineer employed by the Council might snap his fingers at any Board, and there Avoiild be no redress but by memorial to the Council. It is simply the thin edge of the wedge, and if not checked at once tho Waipa Council will gradually assume ull the poAvers of the Road Boards,crushing those useful bodies out of existence ; and when this 'is done the cry will be, " Too much Avork for the Council, Chairman and Councillors, and they must be paid, and a special rate must be levied for the purpose. As it is, the Council have spent over £300 in salaries and buildings, Avhick money te sadly needed upon the roads. It is to he hoped that the Waipa electors Avill, ere this, have seen through the complete farce, known as the Waipa County Council, and will, by an expression of their opinion, put an end to it. — I am, WAirA Settler.