ELTHAM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9130, 11 August 1888, Page 6

ELTHAM.

Mr. Houston, the contractor for the repairs to the school, has taken up his abode nere permanently, and forms a welcome addition to the settlers.

A change has taken place in the butchering business here, Mr. Chew Chong having sola his interest therein to Messrs. Arden and Barber ; and, as they are practical men success is almost certain to attend their efforts.

Mr. Lloyd, who returned from England a short time since, after a stay there of a few years, is about to have a house erected on his section.

Mr. Hendry, who has had the lease of the local sawmills for a lengthened period, has again been the successful tenderer, and now enters on another spell of two years. Mr. Hendry has made many friends here during his stay, and his presence among us for some time longer will be greeted with pleasure. The question which just now, and for some time past, has taken premier position in the minds of the ratepayers in this and surrounding districts, is the interesting one as to whether or Dot the Road Boards should merge in the County Council, and a brief resume of the matter will be of interest. Some time ago the Waimate Road Board thought of metalling the Main, Eltham, Auroa, and Manaia Roads; and, to find the feeling of the ratepayers on the subject, issued notices calling meetings to take the matter into consideration. A doubt arose, however, as to whether in the case of the Road Boards refusing to merge, they would have power of themselves to raise loans, and, on the question being referred to Mr. Travera, lawyer, Wellington, he decided that they did not possess such power. At length the Hawera Road Board merged in the Council, but the majority at the meetings held in other districts refused to do so, assigning as their reason that should they do so they would be entirely at the mercy of the Council as to where and how the money would be spent when the loan was got, and that there was danger of it being applied in such a way that settlers living off the main roads would receive little benefit, although called upon to pay the rite that would be levied to meet the loan and interest. To meet this point, it has been proposed that the Waimate Road Board District should be divided into ridings, and that upon a provision being agreed to by all parties that the portion of the loan accruing to these ridings should be left in their own hands to be speut as was thought best, merging should take place. Nearly all the ratepayers in this and neighbouring districts are in favour of this proposition, and, with a view to having it carried out, a petition is now going the rounds for signature. I ought to have mentioned that the making all main roads, district roads, is included in this scheme. A second petition is also going round, this one having in view merging pure and simple, leaving out any of the before-mentioned provisions. It, of coarse, stands to reason that, were the merging carried into effect, an appreciable saving in the cost of working would result, and, judged by other places where the system is carried out, there would be no diminution in efficiency, but, if anything, an opposite result would follow. On the other hand, the security desired by these districts as to the distribution of the money is very natural, and I fail to see where much opposition should be raised to it, as, were it the intention of the Council to give all districts a fail- show, the said stipulation would not in any way affect theui.— Correapo: ■>«.)