The Star. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1880. THE SEPARATE COUNTY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 44, 11 September 1880, Page 2

The Star. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1880.

THE SEPARATE COUNTY.

The chief object of the advocates for the separate county is a simplification of the local government within the district. The movement did not altogether originate in Hawera, nor even with Hawera townspeople. Messrs. M. Hunter, F. J. Gane, Jas. Livingston, G. Inkster, Geo. M'Lean, F. Finlayson, and F. H. Brett, appeared, to take a leading part in advocating the change, and it now rests with the county electors to decide whether the proposal meets with their approval or not. Assuming that the petition is signed by not less than three-fifths of the county electors within the boundaries of the Hawera Registration District. Parliament should sanction the formation of the new county ; it will then be for the electors to decide where the county town shall 'be. By the time all the necessary steps have been taken and Parliamentary sanction gained, it is not improbable that Manaia or Normanby might successfully urge its claim to the honor as against Hawera. The distance from Taungatara, some 15 miles on the other side of Manaia, to Patea, is so great as to render it highly inconvenient for county councillors in the northern riding to attend at Patea. There is, unfortunately, but little likelihood of the railway between Normanby or between Hawera and Patea being completed for some years to come ; and, pending that very desirable but leather remote contingency, the interests of the northern and southern ends of the present county are almost certain to lie in opposite directions. Summed up in a few words, the view of the position which we take is this : — The present county is about to be' considerably extended in a northern direction. It is even now too large, and too long, to be conveniently controlled from Patea, and "With the addition of another still xoo¥e distant riding added to its jurisdiction, the Patea County Council cannot hope to give satisfaction. It is now practically certain that either county councils or road boards will have to succumb, as it is admitted on all hands that much extra inconvenience, and some extra expense, are caused by the double local jurisdiction. The chances are that many of the more extended powers at present granted to county councils, but denied to road boards, will be placed in the hands of the survivors. If the county councils should survive, and should undertake the work at present done by the road boards, it is very necessary that each local body should confine its jurisdiction, as far. as possible, to compact districts, in which the ratepayers will possess a community of interests, and will be readily able to meet and combine together for the furtherance of local works. Great care is needed in the choice of boundaries, so as to avoid the risk of 'having a county! divided a»ai»st itself, and split up into rival and hostile factions of north and south. The Counties Act contemplates the possibility of, and makes provision for, such a case as the one before us ; and we have consistently advocated the separation without really knowing, or caring much, whether, if Egmont County were constituted, Hawera, Normanby, or Manaia were declared the county town.