LOCAL GOVERNMENT AT THE THAMES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5635, 8 December 1879, Page 5

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AT THE THAMES.

At the meeting of the Thames County Council, held on Thursday last, Councillor Porter moved the motion standing in his name re the: amalgamation of the local governing bodies. In jpeiking to the motion Councillor Porter referred to the indebtedness of the several bodies, wbich at the prtsent time amount to the rather large sum of £26,0u"0. He also refeired to the large sum which was paid iu talari) s to the officers connected with these bodies, and which have to be raised before a single pe-.iny can be expended on the public works. At ti.e present time the total c< st of all the local bodies is £3500 per annum, and this amount is expended in governing between SOuO and 10,000 peiple. He also pointed out how the out-districts had suffered through the ratei and special grauts being all expend d near the centres of population. He urged that it would be to the pub.ic iuterest to amalgamate the local bodies, aud revert to the old ty.-tem of Koad JBjards in the outdistricts. A long discussion then took place on the moion, most of the members present being opposed to passing it. Councillor Brown, who seconded the motion, said that he was afraid if the motion were adopted it would have no practical result. Ho had always been of opinion that the bDrough should have had the control of the whole of the goldfield, aud the cjuuty should never have had the water-race or the big pamp securities, lie was sure the borough was better able to foster the gold mining industry than the County Council ever -would be. He did not think the settlement of the country would affect the borough for a century to come. On the motion being put it wan lost. Had the motion been carried it would have aimed a blow at the council itself, and would probably have been the stepping-stone to its t,tal abolition, a reeult which would have been hailed with satisfaction by a large number of the ratepayers. There is a feeling in existence on the Thames, and one which is growing stronger every day, that the place is altogether too much governed. At present there are no fewer than live local (.overning t>odic3 in this small community, and the cost of administering the affairs of two of them, at least, is enormous, and might be greatly reduced were they merged into one. That the rate, payers will not bear it much longer is very evident, aud perhaps it would have ben well if the council had admitt d, to a certain extent, Miat it was awaro of the feeling which diea exist, and shown some disposition to place matters on a basis tha; would satisfy the public mind, and reduce tin; present expenditure. In the event of any amalgamation, it is pretty certain the County Council woula be the body abolished. Notwithstanding that the council i* headed by a chairman who Las done wonders fur the district, aud without, whose assistance it would have succumbed long ago, it is a>, the present time held iu bad odour, ami a large, body of the ratepayers would only be tocfglad if it was abohuhel altogether, and a l.rge portion of the couuty amalgamated «ith the borough, while the out-distiicts were disposed of as Cntncillor Porter suggested.—[Thames Correspondent.]