WAIMEA COUNTY RIDINGS.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13052, 11 March 1911, Page 2

WAIMEA COUNTY RIDINGS.

PROPOSED ALTERATION OF

BOUNDARIES

COUNCILLOR EVERETT'S VIEWS,

Ilie Wamica County Council at its last inching, m the unavoidable absonco of the mover, dismissed in a ratucr summary fashion a proposal by Ci'_, Everett to readjust the boundaries of the ridings in the county for the purpose vf equalising the representation, as provided by section 25 of the Counties Act, 1008, The total rateable value of the ridings at the present time is £1,915,710, and the total number of ratepayers 2073, tho averages being £273,572 and 29G respectively. The following particulars regarding tho different ridings will show tin unovenuess of the distribution, both in regard to the number of ratepayers and rateable value: —

Moutere: Xuinbar of ratepayers 205; rateable value, £134,125: deficiency of ratepayers, 91 ; deficiency in lateabla value, £139,547.

Waugapoka : Ratepayers, 141; value, £1-!3,65'1; deficiencies, 155 aud £129,938.

Motupiko : Ratepayers Io0; value, £162,488; deficiencies. 146 and £91,184.

Wa.ngamoa : Ratepayers, 190; value, £213,164; deficiencies, 109 and £60,508.

Motueka : Ratepayers 389 ; value, £330,434 j excess of ratepayers, 63 ; excels of rateable value, £56,762. Stoke: Ratepayers, 400; value, £409,393 ; excess of ratepayers, 104; excess value, £135,721. Wai-iti: Ratepayers, 598; value, £522,422 ; excess ratepayers, 302 : excess value, £248,750. GY Everett holds very strong views on the question of the readjustment of the boundaries of tiie ridings, and contends that representation should bo purely on a population basis, with cnrtain slight allowances in favour of country districts as against towns. In tlio Counties Act, said Cr. Everett, in conversation with a representative of this paper, the property qualification is allowed whether we approve or disapprove, and w<* must take it as t stands. For a body like the Wainioa, County Council it was, he considered, highly improper for them to sot up and violate the provisions of the Act by fasting out the proposal because they happens! to think otherwise. .In tho Act it is clearly sot forth that the representation i.v the Council must be on a population basis (by the number <if rnte-pa-yers and rateable value combined). While not compelled to ro closely adhere to the number as in tho case of parliamentary representation, the Act prescribes "as far as possible." Thi lS should be clo-ir and sufficient for everyone. In the reconstruction of the ridings there are pertain limitations which militate against tho possibility of arriving at any absolutely correct sub-division, because, of tho fact that any existing road board district, unless already legally subdivided, cannot be cut up. Thereby, as in the ease of Wangarnoa riding, which is already short, precluding the possibility of increasing it, becausu tlm ■addition to it of the Stoke subdivision would make it unduly large. So that while enjoined to subdivide as fairly as possible, any alteration would not probably affect the Wangamoa riding. This tho officials recognk"d in preparing thn new boundaries, and left Wangamoa intact. The : remainder of the county can, however, be subdivided witli ease, ami while preserving a fair uniformity in regard to population ami rateable value, and keeping in view the basis of representation, it is clear that Wai-iti is entitled to twice the representation ifnow has. Wangapoka and Motupiko' together should only return one men her. The present Moutero riding i. entitled to half ,i member, Motueka to about 1;', am] Stoke to about ];]. Tho cry which is raised about disfranchising tho outer districts will not bear examination unless it is conceded that the Council has a right to vary thd provisions of the Act according to its own goodwill and pleasure. Disfranchisempnt is now being suffered by the. ridings of Wai-iti, Stoke, and Motuoka, nnd the additional representation which they are r/ititled to is being given to the others who have no right to it. The county solicitor advised tiie Council that it had no option in the matter, the clause of the Act being clearly mandatory, and that it was its duty to subdivide th'i county in accordance with the provisions of the Act. He stated further that in his opinion if any ratepayer took tho matter to court the Council would have to do it. The Counties Act is both general and local in its application. Its application is general in so far as it deals with the maintenance of trunk lines, departmental charges, and other matters of general import which affect tlin community as a whole. It is, however, local in its application whr»i it comes to d?nl with tin- byroads or feeders of the main trunk linos. In this case the ratepayers may have, each in their own right, such class of by road as they care to pay for the rate, not being necessarily the samo in any two ridings. It may be contended that tho community of interest should be extended to apply to byroads as well as to the trunk lines, and it may be that such will bo the enso some day, but it is net r-;o now,_ tho Act being clear in so far as it enjoins the creation of a common fund for general purposes and the creation of separate funds each for its ow.n riding. These, an* the riding accounts in respect of which the county solicitor has advised the Ccuncil that the keeping of same are mandatory under tho Act.

The cost of readjusting the boundaries would be* about £20.

The Council at its lust meeting resolved that no alterations be made in the boundaries, but it is the intention of Cu. Everett to give notice of motion to rescind tluv resolution in order to give tho Council an opportunity of reconsidering the matter.