THE Bay of Plenty Times.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume V, Issue 487, 16 May 1877, Page 2

THE Bay of Plenty Times.

"THE SPiniT OF THE TIMES SHALL TEACH ME SPEED." KING JOHN, ACT IV Wednesday, May 1.6». 1877. _». . For some time past the question as to the advisability of forming the district" of the Township of Tauranga into a Borough under the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876, has been under consideration hj the Town Board, and a petition is now prepared*, and signatures are being obtained by Mr BodeTL, praying the Governor that the said district may be constituted a Borough. The 17th clause of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876, specifies the following conditions under which the Governor may by Proclamation declare any district in New Zealand* to- be a. borough under this Act: " lhat the district comprises a certain area and contains a population of not less than two hundred and fifty resident householders ; that a petition is presented to the Governor, signed by not less than one hundred of such resident householders, praying the Governor to constitute such district a borough; that the petition describes the boundaries and area of the district, and is publicly notified before presentation ; and that no petition signed by an equal or greater number of such resident householders is presented to the Governor within two months after the presentation of such first petition, praying him not to assent to theprayer thereof." The Tauranga township, after, taking in that portion hitherto erroneously included in the Country District Highway, which lies between the limit of the present North Township Highway District and the proper town boundary, according to the j)lans of the original survey, contains- within a small number, the two hundred and fifty householders mentioned in the clause' of the Act referred to, and pupposing that not less than one hnndred signatures are appended to the petition, there is little doubt but that its prayer will be acceded to. That the petition will be numerously and sufficiently signed we have little doubt, as everything, points to the wisdom of constituting this town district a Borough. With the extension of the County system of Government it is almost a certainty that Road Boards will gradually die out, and even if they do not, the special powers allotted to a Borough are such as a Town Board has not the power of 1 assuming. Regarding Tauranga as the metropolis, so to speak-, of the Tauranga County, __ it is really a matter of right that it should participate in the many privileges which the Borough system confers. The County Council mode of Government, after certain amendments and modifications are made, as expected,, during the- ensuing session of Parliament, will be adapted to the requirements of the County at large,- but a separate and permanent local body is wanted to properly conduct the affairs of' the township. Whether Tauranga is to become a municipality or not depends,, however, entirely upon the feeling of the ratepayers, which will now be tested when they are asked to sign their names to the petition.. i