COUNTY COUNCILS. TO THE EDITOR

Otago Witness, Issue 1584, 1 April 1882, Page 12

COUNTY COUNCILS. TO THE EDITOR

Siß,—The Waikouaiti County Council, or perhaps I should say the ratepayers, are not altogether a happy family ; and the reason assigned for this state of things as advanced at public meetings is that, the Southern members being in a majority, the northern portion of the county does not get its fair share of the revenue spent in their ridings. Whether there is any foundation for such a statement I know not, and if there is a grievance, I do not think the ratepayers of the northern ridings are taking the right steps to place matters on a better footing ; neither do I think it likely the powers " that be " will grant a petition to increase the number of counties, but on the contrary would rather lesson them, and I think a great many reasons may be advanced for their so doing. Take for example this county, Waikouaiti. Tne northern members are dissatisfied with tho southern members— a sort of local jealousy. Supposing the northern ridings should be elected into a separate county, what guarantee is there that they would not continue their local jealousies among themselves. Further, it would require two sets of councillors, officers, county buildings, &c, which means extra taxation. Now is it not a fact that at tho present time, if two counties were amalgamated into one throughout Otago, that one set of councillors and officers would conduct the business equally well as it is conducted now, and so save one-half the cost. We know it is a fact that several of the County Councils have thought seriously of dispensing with the services of their engineers, as there is but little or nothing for them to do ; and lam quite sure that some of the clerks do not know scarcely how to put in their time. There is no doubt that a very great deal of work had to be done to get the county system _ into working order. That being accomplished i thiiiK it is time we looked round to see what cap be done in the way of retrenchment. I think that the larger the counties are, in reason, the moro satisfactorily they will bo worked. A small county is very much like a small town, where everyone knows each othor's business, and the consequence is any amount of ill-feeling ; whereas, in large communities, you may say and do anything you like, and noone will notice it. I would suggest to the Northern members or ratepayers that they should endeavour to adjust their grievance as to laying out the revenue after the plan of the Tuapeka County, where separate accounts are kept and revenue laid out where collected. I cannot give the exact way it is dono, but I believe on the principle I have stated. I cannot close without saying a few words about County Vincent. I see no way out of this county's difficulties. They have just been elected for three years, and I see nothing before them but three years' squabbling. They are without money", and at present, I should say, without, credit. Under the circumstances, would it not be wise for the lower ridings to wake overturos to tho Maniototo County, and upper ridings to the Lakes County, to lake them over. Although they are at present in debt, by proper management that may be soon wiped <>f>" ; and m tho matter of roads, nature hits done for us what money will scarcely do in cither Maniototo or Lakes County. The upper ridings could give as marriage portion their white el 3phant at Rocky Point, and the lower ridings their county buildings at Clyde. The Matakunui Riding has already declared in favour of joining the Maniototo County, but nothing definite has been done to that airec

tion. No doubt a great many are at a loss to know what all this row is about the Vincent County chair. It is simply this : the northern members are four and the southern members four ; consequently from whichever side tbe chairman is chosen, as a matter of course they have the majority, so that they are afraid of each other— or in other words, the southern members say if the chairman is from the north they will expend most of the revenue in the upper ridings, and the north say the same of the south. But seeing they have no money to spend, it will make but little difference, at loast for somo time to come. The same feeling is felt by many of the ratepayers, as one candidate was not opposed because the requisito promise was given not to vote for an upper member for tho chair. Tho Council is composed of eight gentlemen, representing the ratepayers. If those gontlemen by their actions turn the Council into a bear-garden the ratepayers should step in to the rescue, I for one would rather see Vincent County struck off the map than that we should be held up to ridicule.— l am, &c. John Cole Chapple.

Dunedin, March 28th.