The Opunake Times Friday, October 26, 1894. MERGING WAIMATE.

Opunake Times, Volume I, Issue 34, 26 October 1894, Page 2

The Opunake Times Friday, October 26, 1894. MERGING WAIMATE.

Olk contemporary, the Hawera Star, deals with the subject of merging in its issue of Wednesday last, and we believe that according to its lights it has endeavoured to treat the matter in a moderate manner, with a view to the solution of the difficulty. We are aware that we have been accused of causing part of the present opposition to merging, because, it is asserted, v,'e favor a new county.' Although the Star does not make so direct a charge, yet we have sufficient information to warrant us in the belief that such an inference is intended. We think wc shall be able to show that were the formation of a new county the mainspring of our action, we should not oppose merging. In the first place the Counties Act is very rigid in dealing with the boundaries of road districts and counties, and insists upon their being co terminus. It therefore

follows that if the Waimate road district is retained, in the formation of a new county, either the existing eastern . boundary would have to be ad opt ed or all the formality gone through of dividing Waimate and establishing two road districts, which every one knows is a serious complication, and to a certain extent a bar to such a step. Opunake is the natural outlet for Western Waimate in exactly the same way as the railway is the natural outlet for Eastern Waimate, because in both cases they are the cheapest modes of import and export, and when you touch the pocket the question of sympathy as a rule vanishes. It is also admitted by all those who study local matters that the first essential is that the people interested should have control of the roads leading to their point of departure. That Opunake was the point for Western Waimate, was becoming more manifest every day prior to the unfortunate collapse of the jetty, owing to the ravages of the teredo. The advisability of a new county, including all the country which will be directly served by this port will gradually force itself on .the ratepayers ; within that area, and f must beooiUe an estab-:; lisbed fact, but as tar as Opunake is concerned the formation of a county, or the non-formation of it, will neither make nor mar her progress. We do not rely on sympathy or chicanery for the ultimate progress of our port and town, like other mushroom inland towns. We hold the key of the district, and when we are requested by the surrounding country to assume the position of county town - and trade centre for it, we shall no doubt be prepared to do so, not with the object of obtaining any kind o funhealthy or forced support, but because it will comply with the natural laws of community of interest. We hope it will never fall to our lot to have to bolster up and become the mouthpiece of such a body as the Hawera County Council has proved itself to be, in its attempt to coerce such a body of ratepayers as is now represented by the opponents of merging, merely for the purpose of of centralising expenditure in Hawera, and out of petty jealousy to Manaia, which is the natural centre of Waimate as at present constituted. When the jetty is re-erected, and improved shipping facilities provided, we are satisfied that the whole of the present district of Waimate will be served by this port, but we are jvell aware that the people in the eastern part beyond the Kaupokonui River, imagine their interests lie towards the railway, and we think, unless they requested it, it would be unwise to propose their inclusion in a new county. This being our opinion, it would be necessary to draw a line dividing Waimate, and if the road district were merged, we know of no condition or restriction in the Counties Act which prevents a line being drawn anywhere through an out’ying district, which Waimate wou'd then become. We believe there might bo a few ratepayers in this area who would object to being included, and also some, if it were possible, we should like to see excluded, as they are very little credit to any district to which they may belong,but it is, unfortunately, impossible to draw any line which will please everybody, and the majority must rule.* What advice, therefore, we have given to Waimate ratepayers for the purpose of protecting their interests has not been simulate 1 ly any hidden desire fir a new county, as we think it will be apparent, from the reasons stated* that the perpetuation of the Waimate Road District is directly opposed to such a project. It has, on the contrary, been given solely in their interests as long as they remain a part of the Hawera County. We knew .they were being hoodwinked by Cr Hemmingway, and our reporter, at a public meeting, took down his statements admitting misrepresentation and a statement by him that, but for such

misrepresentation, he believed not one would have signed the petition in favor of merging. As our reporter apparently had a correct estimate of the value of his word, he took the precaution to publicly read over the statement so taken down, and to ask Cr Hemmingway if he would be justified in publishing. the same, to which he replied in the affirmative. This precaution was taken because, by the statement made, Cr Hemmiugway was convicting himself of prevarication. These facts can be borne out by all present at the meeting. As to the charge that the treatment which the district roads will likely receive at the hands of the Council if the district he merged, not being seriously believed in, we do not think we can give a fitter reply than point to the county roads in Waimate : The Ellham Road ratepayers had to raise a loan to do their road from end to end, and it is asserted, on the authority of Cr Hemmingway, ‘that their rates have been taken and spent elsewhere, whilst the road is blocked for want of a couple of paltry bridges. The Stratford-Opunake road is impassable, and it is admitted that their rates have been taken and spent elsewhere. The Auroa Road is impassable, and the Manaia Road is a perfect disgrace to any local body, whilst during the last few years the Council has kept from one to two thousand pounds of deferred payment money belonging to these roads lying in the bank to keep down interest on overdraft for the general benefit of the whole county. The Council also, when it had a Hawera majority, passed a resolution that interest at 5 per cent on £SOO loan money, which was lying in the bank for the Hawera-Normauby Road, should be. credited to the Hawera riding at the same lime that the interest on the loan was being paid out of general rale, and when Waimate had nearly £2OOO d.p. money and Eltham nearly £IOOO d.p. lying in the bank for which no consideration was allowed, and these are the men and these the actions which, in the eyes of the Star, indicate the soul of honor and fair play. When the merging question was initiated the general

wish of the ratepayers was for one control, and the issue was merging or declaring all roads district roads. The ratepayers were, however, cleverly led astray, and the issue placed before them to induce them to sign- the petition was merging or being tacked on to Opunake. Vivid pictures were drawn of the rates being taken from Waimate to be spent in Parihaka, by the people who turn round now and quote section 14G of the Counties Act to prove that such a thing could not be done. Where, we ask, is their consistency *? If ridings will prot et them when they are in a helpless minority in the Hawera Council, how much more effective would it be. in a new county where Waimate would have a majority of the councillors to represent them. It is said that his Satanic Majesty can justify himself from the Scriptures, and we think Cr Hemmingway # would run him to a close finish armed with the Counties Act.