COUNTY COUNCILS V. ROAD BOARDS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2300, 7 April 1887, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCILS V. ROAD BOARDS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sin,—ln a former letter, which you were kind enough to insert, I endeavoured to show some of the disadvantages of the present system, together with the difficulties which appear to stand in the way of any contemplated change. One of the alternatives, assuming; that the bulk of the ratepayers arc in favour of the county form of local government, would be to abolish ttieroad board*; allowing their respective s?Ssto revert-tdthe position of outlying district •- but itttead of allowing the order of locai expenditure, so to speak, to rest in the hands of the councillor, local committees to be appointed, such committee to consist of a ratepayer from each properly-defined section of the district, the committee to furnish a monthly of bi-monthly report to the council, upon Which report, conjointly with that of the engineer, the local expenditure to be based; the chief duty of the councillor being to see that his district obtained its fair share of the whole county expenditure. The advantages of this alternative would be that while doing away with one expensive form of local government, the ratepayers would be completely protected from any unfairness, or neglect, on the part of the councillor, and would at the same time have their rates expended by a first-class engineer, and also, the districts being fairjy

divided into sections, each having a committeeman, there could be no possibility of the jealousy which we see manifested occasionally, when one section is considered to have an undue preponderance of influence in the deliberations of the local body. The other alternative, and which will probably find the greatest support, would be, without going to the extreme process known as " hanging up the Act " to curtail tho functions of the council to merely central duties, such as dealing with licenses, Hospital and Charitable Aid, etc., leaving the road boards to strike a larger and only rate within their districts. This would do away with a large amount of expense in collecting, expending the rates, etc., and would reduce the cost of the council to merely a nominal sum, while the road boards with a larger sphere of action, and correspondingly increased revenue, would be able, by uniting, to afford the services of the best engineer, which they are at present unable to do. In any case some change from the present cumberstone and expensive system is urgently needed, and I earnestly appeal to my fellow ratepayers throughout the county, to set aside all local differences, and take a united stand upon this important question, so that from the present, chaos, an administration may be evolved, which, economical and efficient, would secure, what is of equal importance, the full confidence of the ratepayers. The present system we may regard as doomed, and rightly so, for it speaks little for the advancement and enlightenment of the present age, that we should require over a comparatively limited area two distinct and fully equipped local bodies to carry out what are practically the same functions.— I am, yours respectfully, E. C. Shkphkhd.