39

H—2B

such a proposal, it did not desire its inclusion in the county. It was affirmed, however, that there was nothing in the administration of the township which the Council could not successfully undertake. Southbridge is situated some four and a half miles from the county headquarters at Leeston, which, in our opinion, is the main business and administrative centre for the surrounding country. The Ellesmere County Council at present assists the Town Board with its road maintenance, and meets the cost of health inspection for the district, although no general rates are levied by the County Council on the town district. General rates levied by the Town Board average approximately £5BO per annum. A part-time town clerk and one maintenance workman are employed, while another employee acts as caretaker of the Town Hall. The total value of the Board's plant, including a fire-engine, is £320. From an inspection of the district, it was evident to us that there had been no marked progress in the township in recent years, and this was further evidenced by the decline in population. There are many townships in the Dominion with much larger resources and population which are being administered efficiently and provided with more amenities by County Councils. We decided that the town district should be merged in the County of Ellesmere, or in such other united county of which the County of Ellesmere may form part. The question of the continuance of the Waimakariri-Ashley Water-supply Board was also considered by us during the course of the inquiry. The Board's district comprises approximately 120,259 acres, being portions of the Eyre, Oxford, and Rangiora Counties. Representation on the Board consists of five members, and the Board's revenue, approximating £2,850 per annum, is derived from water charges based on the acreage and the value of the land. The staff of the Board consists of a secretary-overseer, three rangers, and a caretaker, whose remuneration collectively totals £l,BBO per annum. The plant of the Board is valued at £l5O, heavy transport plant and equipment being hired when required. Other assets owned by the Board total £750. The Chairman of this Board expressed the view that no advantage would be gained by the transfer of the Board's functions to any other authority, and he indicated that the consumers of water in the district now had the privilege of electing their own representatives to control the water-race system, thus ensuring closer touch with the controlling authority. Extensive mileages of water-races in areas south of the Waimakariri River are controlled by separate County Councils, and the systems are integrated. There was no evidence presented to the effect that this form of dual control was unsatisfactory, but, on the contrary, we were satisfied that the water-race systems in the various counties south of the Waimakariri River, which are much more extensive than those administered by the Waimakariri-Ashley Water-supply Board, are adequately and harmoniously administered by the various County Councils. The Chairman of one of the County Councils in whose district the Waimakariri-Ashley Water-supply Board operated expressed the view that if the whole of the water-race system was in one county it could probably be controlled as efficiently by the County as by the Board. We came to the conclusion that if the functions of this Board were transferred to the united county we have recommended, administrative and operational savings would result, in that the cost of maintaining a separate office and of conducting elections would be eliminated, while the consumers would have the advantage of the services of an engineer and the use of the united County Council's machinery and plant when necessary. We accordingly decided that, on the union of the Ashley, Eyre, Kowai, Oxford, and Rangiora Counties, the Waimakariri-Ashley Water-supply Board should be dissolved and its assets and liabilities transferred to the county comprising the aforesaid united counties.