The Star. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1892.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XIX, Issue 3229, 20 September 1892, Page 2

The Star. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1892.

COUNTY WAYS OF WORKING.

If the Waimate organ represents the convictions and methods of working intended to lie adopted by the Manaia section of the proposed Egmont County then anew start will scarcely be founded in harmony. If Manaia can she will create discord. Manama is still paraded an the rich inheritance, the one blessed patch o£ earth which all beholders enyy. It has been a mania with its chief selfworshippers that Waimatw has bpen the fatted calf from which its "impoverished " neighbor Hawera "was for ever borrowing." This is but mania. " Continue to fatten on the richness of i< s affluent and erstwhile neighbor." This is what the Manaia organ thinta Hawera County has hitherto done on Waimate Uidjpg. This is what it thinks it wjill /continue to do in respect of the sjbrip from Palmer road to Waingongoro River. This is the portion remaining to Hawera. which it has bean agreed shall be cut of? from present Waimate Riding. AnI other sample of miserly mania. There is little foundation, in fact, for such notions, just -is there is little chance of the miffer getting 1 robbed, Manaia know/? too well how to play the handsoff role, and howl before hurt comes. Few will dispute as to f/ha premier place in quality of Waimate Riding, and few will dispute jts njany ; excellencies in position, soil, and ' climate. It is superb. There is not a fiiable peg high enough to properly display these wondrous advantages. If a pole could be run out from the peak of Egraont, and Waimate riding and what it was hoped to have included, or, rather, restrictH to a Waimate Countj, could fre ijiaplayed thereon, it would be a sight for beholders. Kven that peg would not be high enough for display purposes to satisfy some of its selr'laudators. It is a wonderful patch of country, and Manaia town its wonderful wonder. This few care to waste timein disputing. " A startling change has taken place in the attitude of the opponents of the New County Bill eyer since the late Manaia meeting." Undoubtedly a most remarkable change of front as regards Manaia advocates of Waimate County boundaries, and a commendable change on the part of its chief advocate*. It could not form a county to exactly fit its own prescribed dimensions. \\ aimate was not inclined to work within Manaia-reatricted limiter. Its chief advocate. Mr. McCarthy, wue astute enough to see this prior to the Manaia jneeting, hence the change of front.

He had stuck up well for histiobby go long as there was the ghost of a show for realisation. He dropped it straight when he saw that on further striving Manaia would fare worse. In this we have, and in this we do, commend Mr. McCarthy. He was irreconcilable as regards continued connection with Hawera. He preferred to be the boss end of an entirely new county, even on vastly. extended boundaries, than continue the fag end of Hawera County. In thus singling Mr. McCarthy for illustration it is only for convenience of representing the county position or" which, from a Manaia view, he has been undoubted champion. The change ot front has redounded to his own good credit. No higher compliment as to its timeliness could be paid than in the almost unanimous acceptance throughout the whole district of the amended boundaries which Mr. McCarthy proposed at the Manaia meeting, so much to the astonishment of most of those who were present. G-ive him, then, credit for good generalship. He would have liked more easterly of Palmer road — to have appropriated, in fact, as far as the Waingongoro river. A previous poll had, however, settled that matter. This decision should not now be cavilled at, much less should attempt be made to create ill-will between this little patch and Hawera county, to which it now beloDgs. Hawera would doubtless have been better content with a boundary westward of Manaia. To our thinking, it would have been better nearer Oeo. But as the settlers most concerned fixed upon the Palmer road boundary, that ought to settle the qupstion. There is no good I in nagging,, and as Manaia got a very plain hint at the now historic meeting that it had better meddle less with county matters, so if it will continue as a town or by its local organ to foster strife, country settlers will doubtless indicate their dissent iv still plainer and possibly more harmful fashion as regards the town itself. It ia in the highest degree complimentary to Hawera county members and advocates of the larger area, now the McCarthy boundary has been agreed to by the whole district, that they Bhould bury the hatchet and help rather than hinder the constitution of the new Egmont County on the basis agreed to at the Manaia meeting. There has already been too abundant waste of time arjd recrimination. Now let us shape for useful work in the best interests of the new area, leaving Waimate and its added area to do likewise. Stop nagging and get to work. There ia very much to be arranged before ao large an area as the new county will comprise can be placed on a satisfactory working footing. The everlasting parading of Waimate, with Manaia its centre point as the Golden Horn of abundance, into which all surrounders desire to dip, will not conduce to good workable understanding. Nor is it true that average humanity or average public bodies are notorious for niching. We have a better opinion of both men and public bodies, though there are undoubtedly specimenß of grab-all to be tound occasionally. No one can have any objection that Waimate — though we understand Egmont is to be the distinguishing name — " has characteristics " which will " make it the richest and most prosperous county in the colony," but we doubt altogether whether there is such 11 eager desire from outsiders to share in its wealth." This is pure fancy or buncomb. Not more than others we deserve, yet Waimate parades by Witness that it has more. It can do without any rate this year, yet for semblence sake strikes one, and at the same meeting pleads to oe let off charitable aid contribution. Query then is it wealthy or is it poor, it has been overeager to retain to itself all the good things. It should now strive to aim for the live of justice There are almost irreconoileable differences as to what constitutes justice between the plains land settlers and bush settlers. Plains settles do not desire or intend to be rated for making bush roads. Bush settlers exclaim "Oh ! that's unfair." These conflicting interests are a chief stumbling block to the agreeable working of counties comprising old settled districts and new bush country. To take tfre cream has been Waimate, or rather Manama's, sple aim. As this desire ha^ been frustrated both sides should set themselves earnestly to consider how they can best work in harmony together For the plainslanders ifc is contended they are well roaded and a light rate covers all working expenses. Year by year sees scarcely any substantial improved valuation, instead of an annual, a three or four year yalu^tjqn would be often 'inouph. Higher prices were pajd for the uiore easily cleared land, and <f n r e y^ll not submit fco high rates to benefit bush districts." That is about the plains pesition. It is nothing else but new roads, high ratoy, and loans for bush eettlera. Granted the same conveniences for reaching markets as po^sesae 4 ? hv plains dw Q llers, then bush bettlers count their position equally good or better than the now envied plains dwellei's. Better, in the fact that each year seeg i larger «rea of land under grass or cultivation, thus enhancing the value of the land and increasing ifcs output A yearly valuation in a newly settled bush district would see considerable extensions in rateable area anri ralue. The tendency tbeiefore is to a sl;ifionary revenue or sirulier rate for settle 1 )and, and. for an expanding revenue and higher rate for land \a the bush districts. In the one case there U decreasing annual value as judged by what can be taken out of the soil in the case of plains country, and an improving value in bush land as guaged by the same standard. Ifc is only by improved culture and the more extensive use of fertilisers that the older settled land can be kept in good heart, whereas tho natural productive capabilities of the newer country are only beginning to be touched. Here then is a rnaiq ground of objection for equal rating as between plains and bush landers. It ia no use either the one or the other saying the other's view is unfair. A a the plains laDdera have had to pay in higher prices and are on the

wane as regards natural fertility, they are not to be induced to agrfce for higher rate to serve preaent struggling bush settlers. Each must stand to help itself by its own effort to the extent of respective necessities, and, in the course of time, .the position will be equal. Now, it would be truely useful work if, instead of fostering discord, responsible exponents of public opinion would endeavor to reconcile these apparently conflicting interests. Our own opinion is that numerous rather than few ridings would beet answer the purpose, one member only for each riding. This would enable a community of interests to join together, in which they could indulge in separate rating, and special rating and loans for roaming purposes, if required ; or otherwise confine themselves to the lowest rate which would cover the work of t heir own riding and also furnish a share for working expenses of the county. For each riding separate accounts could be kept. Each could be worked on its own basis, and neither rob nor allow itself to be robbed. Each riding could make slow or rapid progress towards full roading or other conveniences as it might through its representative decide. In this way the greatest amount oi work could be done at the lowest reasonable expense, under one good engineer. It would simply be working a large district departmentally. To get the new county into a groove for smooth working is worthy of the best effort of all who desire the welfare of the district. This will be better than nagging.