COUNTY COUNCILS V. HIGHWAY BOARDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XV, Issue 5173, 15 June 1878, Page 7

COUNTY COUNCILS V. HIGHWAY BOARDS.

TO 11IK EDITOR. Mi;.-This a subject that, in country dis-u-.cts, is at i.ie.-ent occupying much attention. The .- i.-stion- that always come before us in local government discussions aie— Aie we alw.vs to have both Councils and Boards ? If not. which is to be abolished ? That they can-

not co-cxi-t is <Ui!y growing more and more e-.-i hu''. K itepayf rs cannot, and will not. bear the burden, imposed on them by this duplicate form of local government. At a late meeting of tie- Wlnngnrei County Council the councilI'.r.i di-q.lav-.-d such- a hostile spirit toward the Hi.hwrv I! . irds tliat, I think, the sooner the f ~a- l.ef.v-eii them ami the Highway JJo-irds i.-i Mmllv s.-'.led the better for all concerned. Il our county the Council wanted to " sweep ..\\..v the lloards. In my opinion, thf.se who own' the boat I the ratepayers) ought to decide -.-h > j, to w .i V. it, and not either the Councilor t'e- Hi.hway lioard. Some of the County Councilljis were .-lected on the pledge of economy, and then since the election have always been at the front when salaries and honoraria were t'; I,'- votid. In regard to the Council's efficiency i i carrying out works, I am not in a position to state much of a positive nature. They appear t. .> keep th. :: works at such a distance from us that but f'-w of us can foim an opinion. The •isual way is, tenders are invited, and the lowest tender is taken ; the contractor does as much of th" work ~-i will pay him at the price, gets a c-ttificatc for his work, and then his money' The Mill Prook bridge on tire main postal road to t' e North became very dangerous to tie- travelling public, yet, after having plans and hpeciti'v tions drawn for the work, the C'ocncil withdrew the money, and left this a'i-ii i'ial.le -irueture as the only crossing to a ve/y in.port,..-it tection of our settlement. As

to ti.eii ee. i.omy, I do not suppose the whole iii'-f.uirioi costs us much over the of the Pro', ii-.'ial Public. Works Office in Auckland hef.re the .-.bolition of provinces took place. Tbeie is oi..- engineer, salary, L'l Is per day; one oYik of works, 10s per day ; chairman, L'so per annum ; councillors' honoraria, average S ay !'"_'.) each per annum ; secretary, LL ls_ per day ; add to that about IIIUO per annum for office rent and other expenses, and it will make a mm still something less than what »(•' have to pay for the possession of this "white elephant" system of local selfgovernment. Patabh; property is deprecated in value through being liable to this et.'lless c.dl for rates and taxes. In favour o f o,:r Highway Board, I must say that it did a Lug" amount of good. Everybody who took an interest in their district paid their rates un grudgingly. So one shirked his responsibilities lefore the county system came into force ; hut now almost everybody shirks payment if tie y can, h-causo when paying tht money few 'lo not expect to see it again, nor anything foi it. A\ h"reas, the Highway Board spent the money under our own inspection, and just where it was wanted by the ratepayers. As a remedy this growing evil, I would suggest that, h -t Parliament is soon to meet, public meetings should lie held in every settlement, and that the resolutions arrived at be sent to the General '"jvernment for their consideration. I think tn' highway districts should have the same piuile-.. now enjoyed by boroughs—to withdraw altogether from any connection with - nunty ('uuncils when a clear majority of ratepayers wished to do so. That would save Waipu about 1100 a year and the £00 paid to councillors 1,, r worse than nothing. Hoping that ;'''i' i vwiteis will take up this subject,—l am, vl? "- Fiat.