PROPOSED ABOLITION OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume V, Issue 763, 2 April 1884, Page 2

PROPOSED ABOLITION OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL.

♦ A discussion on this subject arose at the meeting of the County Council yestorduy. Councillor A. C. Milne introduced the matter by bringing forward the following resolution : — "That it is tbe opinion of thin Council that the Council should be üboliHUod, and that the several road board* bo rusticated to consider tbe mutter; and, if it is the opinion of the iilfijori^y tlitifc the County Council should bo almhwhod, that stepa bo taken at once to <1o rto " Ho had spoken in reference to tli ln liuiltol' Huveral months ago, but the minority of tlio councillors did not Hi.'cvi to be iv favor of his idea. It then ount UiiOO v year to carry the Council on, iuul it roally did nothing at all. The wholo of the work could be as well done by the different rond boards, and the money now spent in keeping the Council going could be much better spent on roads. Bcaidcs that the present system brought a number of' persons to Hawera once a month to do nothing. The Chairman (Mr. Hunter) said this was exactly his view. Councillor Inkster said tbe Council had no power to do as Councillor Milne desired. If three-fifths of the ratepayers wished for such a change, they had nothing to do but petition for a change.

That was the regular way of going to work. Councillor Milne — That is perfectly correct, but some one must move iv the matter. I believe tbat two-thirds of the people— in faefc-nearly the whole'of them — arein favor of tbe change, and if Hhe": road boards are asked to consider the matter tbat will give tbe public a cbance of expressing their views. The sooner I it is done the better. Councillor Malone- observed that the County. was a lielp\to Ngaire. That riding could not undertake to keep the main road'hr order "some"assistance, such as it had from time to time received from the County. If the the County were abolished, Ngaire_tnjgbt still get a~little assistance from neighboring ridings, but it could not count on it. Councillor Milne pointed out that if the county were abolished, the chairmen of the different road boards would meet once or twice- a- year to apportion money. ' '"" "*" ;'; ' ' , Councillor Malone knew that Ngaire had received from the county more than it had contributed — not much more, but still sufficient to be of value to so poor a riding, and without which it would be impossible for it to keep its roads in order, And if it did not keep its roads in order, tbat would be to tbe injury of the whole county. The council in assisting the needy in this way had done good work. Councillor Inkster would move as an amendment, That a committee be appointed to get up the necessary petition to be dirculated among the ratepayers. :That was the proper course. Councillor Milne thought there was very little in the objections raised by Councillor Malone. Councillor Malone said he had not looked into the m itter. He knew it had been once mooted at his road board, and be had pointed out that Ngaire had Nothing to gain. • The Chairman remarked that in the immediate future at any rate there was no prospect of Ngaire getting more than it contributed. He did not anticipate that the county would ever strike another rate equal to that which was now being collected — at least for some time to come. Councillor Partridge suggested that notice should be given of the motion for the next meeting, so that members might have a little time to think over the matter before voting. Councillor Milne said the passing of the motion was merely a preliminary. It did not settle the question. He had no doubt as to the ieeling of the people. He certainly did not intend to sit in the council after his present term of office had expired. They were like a lot of school children coming into Hawera to play marbles. Nothing had been done for the last six months, and very little since the council was established, but what was really road board work. The council was a sort of medium where no medium was required. Councillor Malone — We are a check. Councillor Milne — But no ' check is required. The Chairman said if the resolution were passed, then the road' boards of the various districts could go- into the matter and give it fair and full consideration, and let the council know what they thought. Councillor Milne said that was his object. Councillor Malone enquired whether the abolition of the county meant loss of the county rates. Councillor Finlayson understood that the road boards in such a case could levy two rates. Councillor Malone- wanted to know what would be done in a case where two adjoining ridings disagreed, Bay iv respect of a bridge over a dividing stream, or in respect of anything else. At present the county council had a general interest in all ridings, and- could settle such questions ; but what would be done were there no county council to overrule differences ? Councillor Finlayson expressed the opinion that the council had done a great deal of good in getting money under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, for the whole county, cheaper than road boards could have done for their several localities. Road boards would have had to levy special rates, but the county had provided for everything by a general rate. The Chairman — You have jnst said that a road board would have power to levy two rates, so that that makes no difference. After some further discussion it was pointed out that the motion had not been seconded, and the chairman ruled that the motion involved extraordinary business, and could not be brought forward without notice. At the same time he was in favor of the motion. Would Councillor Milne give notice for next meeting ? Councillor Milne — No, I won't bother about it. Councillor Partridge suggested that tbe mover had only been making an April fool of the council. (A laugh.) • Councillor Milne said he had wanted the matter settled before the elections. Tbe Chairman intimated that he himself would bring the motion forward at next meeting.