LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THE WAIPA COUNTY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2178, 24 June 1886, Page 3

LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THE WAIPA COUNTY.

In accordance with an advertisement appearing in this journal, a number of members of town and road boards in the County of Waipa met the council in the chambers, Ohaupo, on Tuesday morning, for the purpose of discussing "the question of the more economical working of the local go\ernment by count) councils or road boards." There were present : Messrs Germann (county chairman, who presided), J. Fisher and Moncrietf (councillots), Teasdale and Walton (Te Awamutu Town Board), W. Taylor and Mandeno (Rangiaohia Road Board), Smith (Alexandra Town Board), Farrell (Kihikihi Town Board), Corboy (Newcastle Road Board) Ryburn (Mangnpiko Koatl Boaid)and Way (Hamilton Roa Board. The l'ukekura and Tuhikaramea Road Boards were not represented. The Chairman opened the proceedings by reading the adveitisement calliug the meeting, which appeared in The Waikato Times, and explaining briefly the object they had met to discuss. He called upon Mr Rybnrn, Chairman of the Mangnpiko Road Board, to explain the action taken by that body. Air Ryburn made a statement as follows :— Mr Chairman : In rising to explain the action of the Mangapiko Road Board in reference to the petition forwarded to Mr Lake to be presented to the House of Representatives, re local self-govern-ment, I must first explain that it was owing to the action taken by one of the ratepayer* in canvassing the district for signatures fora petition to be presented to this council, praying that the Mangapiko district be merged in the county. The members of the road board objected to the manner in which this petition was got up, in not calling a public meeting of the ratepayers to discuss £ne matter thoroughly, instead of going from house to house to obtain sig- ' natures, as was done. A great many of the ratepayers who signed the petition did so under the conviction that it would save them from being double rated. The members of the road hoard not seeing that it would be any saving to the district to merge in the county, but at the same time to show the ratepayers that they were -against any unnecessary expenditure in the working of the district, resolved -to call a public meeting of the ratepayers to discuss the matter fully, the result of which was that three of a committee was appointed to draw up a petition to be sent to the House of Representatives, praying for certain alterations in .the Local Elections Act, so that a considerable saving might be effected in advertising, returning officer's fees, &c ; that road and town boards might be elected at the annual meetings of the ratepayers, and that the chairmen of road and town boards be members of the county council ; that the county council might be thelicensing committee, and that the county collect the district rates. That was the sum and substance of the petition. The principal object the ratepayers bad in view was to curtail expenditure ,by all legitimate means, and I think, Mr Chairman, the time has come when every ratepayer should let his voice be heard to aid in reducing taxation, and I think that the ratepayers in the Mangapiko district will have done their duty, if they do no more than he the means of arousing public attention to this important question. I may state also that it was at the suggestion of the committee that the chairman of the county council wa3 asked to convene a meeting here to discuss the matter. I think qume of the gentlemen present are labouring under a mistake in thinking that the county council wish to assume any undue authority over either town or road boards, much less to accept the labour^of working the districts thrown on them. I think the majority of the councillors present will agree with me, that what we want really is more pow er granted to local bodies to work th^ir own districts in the best way and at as little expense as possible, and I hope the gentlemen present will bear in mind we are not come here to sot town and road boards against county co'iticils, or vice tir«a, but are here to devise means to equally benefit all. . The Chairman then read the petition of the 3\Jan^>|)iKo Board to the Go\ernmerit, which lias already appeared in these columns. He explained that the council had no desire to take any side in the matter. It was for the local bodies to say whether they would fall in with the views of the Mangapiko Board. For his own part h" thought the boards were very useful, and could manage their own affairs best. Mr Corboy objected to the statement made by the Mangapiko board in respect of the Regulation of Local Elections Act. Hs denied that the act was a source of expense. Mr Ryburn said it was so in Mangapiko. Mr Corboy said the Act was very necessary in Newcastle, because of the ballot. There were men there who lent money, Ac, and these people wished to see a show -of hands so that they might control the voting He also said that the Hating Act did not compel them to upend a lot of money in advertising. He produced a. legal opinion from Mr Hay, inti mating, that it was not necessary to insert a notice that a rate had been struck. Mr Ryburn said that was only one opinion, another lawyer might give an* other. The Chairman read the clause of the Act, which provided for advertising that the rate would be struck. That was useless expenditure. Mr Corboy said if the board did not advertise their intentions, how would the ratepayers know what was being done ? It would be seen that false statements had been made in the petition. It would have been better if the Mangapiko Board had consulted the other local bodies. It was possible to strike the rate at the annual meeting. He objected very stroncly to petitions of this sort going to Wellington ; it was not the opinion of the county. He would be sorry to see the council act as the licen- , fling committee, or to see tho council composed of chairmen of road boards. If the prayer of the petition were granted it would place an enormous amount of power in the hands of the Government. He thought it should be withdrawn at once. He thought the question they were met to consider was whether they should be governed by road boards or councils. The Chairman aaid that was the position. Mr Corboy was strongly in favour of continuing the road board system. He' thought the council would neglect the by-roads. Mr Teasdale concurred in the statements made in the petition. He did not object to road hoards, and he thought they should be maintained, but they must have some other authority to keep -up the main roads. It was, 'however, necessary to make alterations in the law in the direction of saving expense. He believed in the old system of holding annual meetings for the election of the board and the striking the rate. Under that system much greater interest was taken in local matters. He referred to the meeting at Kihikihi the other night. It would be seen that the people of that place were acting selfishly in wishing to keep the revenue to themselves, without contributing to the construction of main roads outside. Such a policy would ruin the country. Mr Farrell doubted the truth of many statements contained in the petitien. Kihikihi had no ambition to bcaborough, ibut it wished to be clear of the county. Mr Teasdale said the only difference between a borough and a town district now was that the latter was included in the county. Mr John Fisher was sorry tliat aDjr nersonality had been allowed to crop up. The Mangapiko Board had a perfect right to send a petition to Parliament, and it ■was for the other local bodies to discuss *heir proposals. Ho did not qUite. agree

w'th the petition, and defended the present mode of representation. He agreed with the petition in reference to the licensing question, though be did not quite see that the remedy proposed was a good one. It was very hard however that Mnngapiko should be compelled to elect a licensing committee whether they Wanted it or not. He thought the election of a committee in a district without a licensed house should be made optional. He was in favour of rates being collected locally, as he was certain a much larger percentage of the money Mas obtained thus. The question they should discuss was whether a dual rate should be levied. They had been told that the county had done" a great deal on the main roads, but they must remember that they had dove this chiefly with borrowed money. He thought the council should delegate their power in this regard. He thought the road boards might safely be trusted to keep the main roads in repair. He was of opinion that they should revert the old condition of aifairs. He moved " That in the opinion of the meeting it i« desirable that the county council arrange with the different road Boards to take charge of all main roads within the respective districts " He had made the n.otion as brief as possible, in order to get the principle affirmed or rejected. If accepted a great man}' details would have to be gone into. Mr Farrell seconded the motion, as it would exactly suit the requirements of Kihikihi. Mr Corboy suggested that a clause be added to the effect that the council obstain from striking a rate. Mr Teasdale opposed this, as he claimed that it would not be possible for the Te Awamutu Town Board to maintain the main roads running through, the town and used by everybody. He was strongly of opinion that provision should be made for making and maintaining main and district roads separately. It might be that if Kangaobia had stuck to the loan obtained the roads might be in a better state. He did not like the dual rate, still be felt that they must help one another in these matters. Mr Way pointed out that no county rate was levied in Waikato county, and yet the main roads in that couuty were better than those in Wai pa. Mr Fisher then amended his resolution by adding the following words:— ''The county pledging its.elf that so long as the Road Boards keep the main roads in a fair state of repair, no couuty rate shall be struck." Mr ( orboy said there were some portions of the main roads not yet formed, and he thought the reform should not be effected until these portions had been formed. (Laughter.) Mr Teasdale hoped the main roads in Te Awamutu would first of all be put in repair. The Chairman thought the resolution was too sweeping altogether. It condemned all that the oouncil had done for years past. (Mr Fisher :— Hear, hear.) Mr Ryburn moved as an amendment, " That County Councils and Road Boards remain as at present, unless they can be more economically worked." If they could not curtail the expenses, it would be better to leave things as they are. Mr Walton seconded the amendment. He quite agreed with the Mangapiko petition, and iuotanced cases in which unnecessary expenditure had been imposed upon them by the various Acts, tie thought that the adoption of the resolution would impose great hardships upon Te Awarnutu. Mr Mandeno thought they could not do without the road boards or the council, and their duty was to devise means for the more economical use of the machinery provided. He thought they should make one set of machinery do the work of all the bodies, in the matter of collecting rates, &c. Mr A. Smith also spoke in support of the amendment. The Chairman made some general remarks in favour ol the petition. He thought the courty rate could be collected locally, at the same time as the road board rates, and one set of advertisements would do for both. Mr Fisher was of opinion that the carrying of his motion would mean a \ast saving in departmental expenses. He did not wish to force his opinions on the meeting. He did not think it creditable to Te Awamutu that it could not maintain its o\\ n roads. When districts were poor they clung to the county, when they were ridi they wanted to cut the painter. (Laughter.) Messrs Walton and Teasdale said they had both opposed the separation of Te Awamutu from Rangiaohia. Some conversation as to the method of voting ensued, Mr Corboy insisting that no district should exercise more than one vote. Several present contended that the meeting was not one of boards, but of boord members, and if people choose to stay away it was their own fault. Mr Corboy said he had no doubt that if the matter were referred to the ratepayers, a large majority would be in favour of abolishing the county. The ratepayers were heartily tired. The Chairman said he would take a show of hands, whereupon Mr Corboy left the room. For the amendment there voted Messrs Walton, Taylor, Mandeno, Rybnrn, Smith, Teasdale, and Moncreiff, For the motion there voted Measrs Farrell, Fisher and Way. A vote of thanks was proposed to the chairman, which was carried. Mr Germann, in responding, said he hoped the time was not far distant when the council would be composed of the chairmen of road boards.