ONE OR TWO ?

Temuka Leader, Issue 7568, 21 May 1914, Page 4

ONE OR TWO ?

CdI'NTV ('(U'NCILS. 11 ,M! K A l\ FAVOI K or TWO. A meeting of (he ratepayers jn (lie Temuka Road District was held in (he Road Board oilin', Temuka, on Tuesday afternoon, to consider (lie rdtei’nal l\ e proposals : - (1| That (he Road Mounts of the ! leraldine Counts’ heroine merged into one County. Ci) That, Ihe Temuka Road Board lake steps (o form (lie District into a separate County. Contrary to expectations, (here was a good attendance, the Board others being well Idled. Mr (I. W. Armilage ehairnvin of I lie Board, presided. The chairman explained the older! of ihe me,-tine. Within the last few days, he pointed out, some of List* ratepayers of the Ml. Reel and !leraldine Road Boards had tael together and decided that the two districts should he formed into a County, and that a Bill for that’ purpose he brought before Parliament next session. Personally he was of (he opinion that it would he belter to merge Iho three Road Boards into the one County, and that view had been shared In’ all Ihe members of the Temuka Road Board except one. Thev wens suffering from an overdose of local government, and there was a wide onlerv for local government reform. The Cenddine County, in addition, to being under Ihe government of the Connlv Council, was also under Hire., Rond Boards. The richest portion of lhe Connlv was governed In' the Teinuka Road Board, (he next richest by .the (ienddiae 'Road Board, and the leasl valuable by I lie Mt. Peel Rond Board. There were also two fragments of tin* County presided over by the Cpper and bower Tlrari River Hoards. Further, (bey bad the Timaru Harbour Board striking a rate over the whole district, the education Board governing the schools, and the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board making a levy to carry on its particular work. This, he contended, was A SHOCKIN’!; KNAMBLK

of local government run riot. During the past few years many new Counties had been formed, but some.. of these bodies were, merely Hoad Boards under the more high-sounding title of Connlv Council. When the .Mackenzie (lovernment was in power It circulated a Loral (lovernment Reform Bill. IT was intended that the dual control' of Road Boards and County Councils should erase. Clause Kt of the' Bill stipulated (hat the number of Counties should lie reduced by about onehalf —from Ihe present total of Til, to not less than 50 and not more than (ill. The mallei’ had not been gone on with.

Continuing, the chairman urged that there were THRKK KSSLNTIALS

to good government—simplicity, cflieiency, and economy. They could not secure simplicity in the present state of a (Fairs, with so many local bodies controlling the same district, all having power to strike rates. They eoidd not have, cllicieney with the present overlapping and dual control, and all the .evils resulting from such a system. The speaker t pip ted eases of conflict between the (toad Boards and County Council regarding Hie responsibility for the erection of certain bridges. The line of demarcation between the County and the Road Boards bad gradually broil growing more, and more indistinct, until it was now 'absolutely indecipherable. They had further conflict of opinion between (he County Council and (be River Boards as to the responsibility for the growth of willows in the riverbeds ; this was another inslanse showing the Impossibility of clliclcney under (lie present confusion of responsibilities. They could not have economy while they were compelled to shoulder the administration expenses of so many different bodies. They were now paying a heavy price for the FCN OF LOCAL COVMRNM FAT.

excluding the River Boards from his calculations, he would point out that they were paying in salaries for the County affairs the sum of X 875, One County Cngincer at f tOU ;uid a clerk at.X'-AO would meet the needs of the proposed bigger County. In place of the three or lour ullicvs at present in use, entailing cost of upkeep, insurance, rate’s, depreciation) tiring, telephones, etc., one allicc would be sullieient. .Further, they could avoid the duplication of rale notices amt advertising, and in place of the expense of three .Road Boat’d elections every year they would have the expense of only one County election every three years, 'faking all these points into consideration, he considered that they could sate approximately Xo-h per annum Ijy merging the three Road Boards into the County. To merge the throe Road Boards into the present existing County would be a simple and easy matter. All that was necessary was a petition signed by the majority of the ratepayers in the district representing one-half of the rateable value. To create two such local bodies two Bills would be eetpiired. It would lie a step forward to merge the .Road Boards into two Counties, but it would be rather a W'jak step compared with the creation of the one County. Speaking of a conversation: lie had had with the ehalrmjan of the Southland County Council, which body controlled a rateable value of ci to x l’i,u(iibdun. hr had been informed that the merging of the innumerable bodies of Southland into llit* one big County Council had proved entirely satisfactory, both as regards clliciencv and economy in administration, and not one of (he former local body districts showed any disposition or desire to return to tin old order of things. Speaking of the (lerahline aspect of (hi l ipteslion, the speaker confessed that ihcre was an obstacle in the path of I hi' one t onniy : t here was A Id ON IN TIIC. WAN'.

and this was the Vexed ((Uestionas to whei’e I lie headi|Uarl ers w ere to lie. The Ceraldine people desired if (o remain ;tl Ceraldine, and perhaps (he Temuka people preferred to see it in Temuka. lie had suggested to C.eraldnii' the desirability of leaving the is-

sue to ho decided by a poll of Ihe ratepayers : but they would not agree to that, because the irnjori ly of the voles Mere at the Teinuka end. There, was, he, considered, no fairer method of deriding the point. The meeting' would therefore have to Consider the quest ions : (1) Whether they wauled one County with headquarters at Geraldine. (2) Whether they wanted one County with headquarters at Teinuka. (,’() Whether they would prefer to have a Teinuka County created in plaeo of the Teinuka Road Board. Mo would urge tht’tn to look at these questions front a broad point, of view, and not from the point of view of the interests of any particular town. (Applause.) rr .John tai.p.ot called on : .

Air Edgar rose and suggested that the meeting would like (o hear Mr • lohii Talbot's views. Air Talbot rose to comply, amid applause.

The qmtnion til issue, said Mr Talbot, was undoubtedly an important one. lie. would like to point out, in the lirst place, that judging from the newspaper reports of recent meetings, there seemed to be a little feeling at the (leraldinn end that in some way or other the Teinuka people were np against them, and wanted to get the better of them, or something of that sort. Now, he did not consider there was such a feeling on the part of the Teinuka people a( all. (Voices: Hear, hear.) Eor his own part he had no feeling against Geraldine in (he slightest degree. But '(here was, he believed, that feeling of suspicion in Geraldine. lie would say straight away thal bis own opinion was that they should allow the •'lernldine and All. Peel ratepayers to form their County, and put' no obstacle of any sort in their way. If, later, the Temuka .ratepayers could gal Gounly government in place of Road Board, then by all means have it. Turning to Afr Armilage’s remarks, Air Talbot pointed out that, probably with the view to making as strong a ease as possible against the present system, of local ffovnrnm.ml, Ale Armitage had introduced a irood deaf of entirely IRRELEVANT MATTER.

Air Armitage had told them about the Hospital Board, the Timaru Harbour Hoard, the Education Board, etc,, but dm 'introduction of these bodies into the discussion was not warranled, since their existence was not threatened, and whether they formed a County or not, these bodies would continue as they were. So far as the River Boards were concerned, there was not much possibility of making any change. A change would not be acceptable to a good many people directly concerned. Ihe River Boanß were' charged with certain duties, they served certain districts, and the formation of a County Council or two County Councils would not ailed tlmse Hoards. The proposition before the meeting was the merging of three Load Boards into one or two County Councils.

Continuing, Air Talbot said that it would not. In his opinion, bo a wise ihimr to throw the three R<md Boards into” th<3 one County. Dealing with Hu; (lernldine nvetings, Mr .1 albot said that Geraldine hud been prepared to have the one County provided they could he sure that the headquarters would be in Geraldine. baler, however, they-came to the conclusion that it would'be belter to amalgamate AH. Psel and Geraldine Boards into one County; and he (Mr Talbot) thought that that was the belter course. 1 here was not a great deal of economy to be made by the creation of one County as against two. Mr Armitage had told them about the, successful working of the Southland County Council, but he would remind them that

E.VR-OFE .MILLS ARE AI AVAN'S GREEN,

and that the conditions that might apply in Southland did not necessarily apply Imre. Hero they were concerned with .a district of about -7(1,(100 acres, of 1 !, millions rateable palue, and their interests were quite dllfereut from those of All. Peel and Geraldine. Whether their towns were large or small, they regarded theim with a certain reasonable pride, and each town would consider it something derogatory to have removed trom it the control of olliees and interests -to which it had become accustomed. Much of their territory was in a sense linked up with the town of Temuka, and llieri-foee it could lie no light thing to sever that connection by removing their official quarters to Geraldine. He would say that they should do nothing to interfere with the passage of the Bill promoted by Geraldine and Ml. .Peel, and lalee, if they thought it worth while. Hi them merge their own Rond Board districts into a County. They could not shut their eyes to the fact that the ratepayers in this district would not like local business to be governed from (lernldine. AFAKE lIASTE SLUIVLY.

Dealing with historic dissensions of the past, .Mr Talbot made a strong impression with his recital of the history of the. old Count-v* At one time the County was one whole. 'Then one portion of it became dissatisfied, then another, urging that they could not gut what they wanted, and that the Temuka people did not sympathise with them. Dad they any reason to believe that these difficulties would not crop up again, or that in going back to the one County, they were not merely retracing their steps to try an experiment that had already been tried and tailed ? lie did not want to discourage the desire for progress in any way ; but his advice' was to “make haste slowly.” bet Geraldine and Ml. Peel go ahead, and if they got their Bill through, with no opposition bom the Temuka end, them Temuka could consider what steps it would take to create a County. If, on, the other hand, Geraldine and Ml, Peel c-oiild not gel their Bill through, then they could take into consideration the advisability ol forming the one big County. Meanwhile, however,

t lie experience ol Ihe past, and tin; .satisfaction given by the lemuka Road Board did not, in bis 'opinion, justify any hasty change. Regarding Mr Arn.itage’s suggestion for a poll to decide the question of headquarters, there was no machinery for such a poll, and, in tiny ease, any poll of tin; present ratepayers could not, on such a question, bind their successors. (Applause.) CKNT.R'AL DISCUSSION. Mr 'Armitage remarked to Mr Talliol; that Mr Elalniaii had expressed a desire, to see the, Temuka Bill, go', through the House at the same time as that for Geraldine and Alt. Peel. Mr Talbot replied that it could make no manner of difference, Gevaldine and Alt. Peel were likely to meet with no more, dillicttllv in gelling their Bill through alott"'without opposition from Teinuka, than if the two Bills went through together. In fact., ii (he two Bills went through logeUfCr (he suggestion, in Parliament.’s mind, that one county should do, •might create ditlieiilties. Furthermore, the, two I! Ils would be expensive, and the. cost would have to lie met by subSTipliollS.

Air Ellis pointed out that if Geniidine and Alt. Peel hill went through alone, the question -would naturally lie asked : “What has become of Tcmuka ?”

Air Edgar paid a Iribiitc to the Temuka Road Board. No district’s affairs, he said, had been better manager! than those of Teinuka district lie strongly favoured Air Talbot’s idea to let the others get their county. Tonnika Could do just as well without tin in. (Laughter). lie did not believe much economy would be- clfv.ctcd ; probably (lie expenses would be increased. 'They would have to get an engineer who Would visit this end of the district two or three times a month in return for a salary of .C,TU to I’Sit) a year

Mr Evans asked whether the ’ mem--1 ers of the Temuka Road Board w'ere of one opinion on the subject.

Acs, replied Mr Armilage ;■ with th;:exception of Air Talbot they bad all favoured the one eounlrv.

Air Donald (Irant pointed out that Gvraldine did not want now to come in with Temuka. They did not want the larger eotinly. The original proposal, he understood, said Air R. Macaulay, was in favour of the one countv.

AFr (Irant replied that AH. Peel wanted the one county, but tj-eraldino did not. ERUM HILLS TO SEA.

.Mr ..Macaulay said his opinion was that they should have one county from the hills to the sea Mr .1 . ,). Ellis said that -G-craldine and Alt. - Pe, 1 all agreed to the ore county at the start. 'the bogey at

Ceraldine was the headquarters. Surely lemuka could meet them by allowing the odiee-s to remain at Goraldiuq, The Teinuka Road Board had an ujWeV draft of something like X 1200, which would shortly hu increased to £'2t)Uo, upon which they would have to pay interest. It would be belter business to work in with Geraldine and start with a clean sheet.

Mr Evans asked whether it was a fact that members of Urn Geraldine Hoad Boarifcwould Coinn into the .'oat; county if the headquarters were 1« Gated at Geraldine.

The chairman replied that ho boliev e-l G.-raldine would come in if they got a guurantet: (hat the ofiiOas would remain at Geraldine. Bat Hun Hint we,a a quest!oh for the people to decide. Flic majority surelv must rule.

Mr Grant-said they could not give •such a guarantee. The present members might not be on the new County Council to carry out the guarantee. I hey could not bind their successors in any ease.

M EVERY A AFATTER OF HATI NG

Referring to Mr Ellis's statement, regarding the Temuka Road Board's overdraft, Alt' Talbot, pointed out UitvJl Geraldine was striking a' -much heavier rate than Temuka, and if Temuka pul on the oilier one-eighth of a;ponCy they could -quickly wipe off their oveidralt. Gci'al-diue was originally in favour of the bigger county, but they had altered (heir opinion. Even Mr I ripp bad confessed that he, had altered his opinion, i iJJe was so enthusiastic originally about the big comity, (hat- he proposed taking in Ijwv'stoo. (laughter). Now he was content with Geraldine and Alt. Peel. Verson-, ally, lie thought it had heen a, mis-' take for the Levels to break away troin (hem. They thought they were going to got cheaper government, but (he y w.-rn now paying more rates\lhuu were the ratepayers in the Temuka dislrict.

In reply to a question, Mr .Grantsaid that the headquarters was not Geraldine’s only bogey. They thought now (lint llmir district might, be negle ted if Temuka were pul into it. Temuka would have I he-voting power.

Tlii! chairman remarked that under the- new county, differential rales would |;e struck over each riding according to its needs, and the money so collected would be spent, in those ridings. Air Grant, said that would not apply to the general fund for maintenance of main loads and bridges, etc. Generally, Geraldine now felt that it had nothing to gain by bringing Temuka in. GOST OE ADMINISTRATION. Air Alouahau asked what was the cost of administration in the counties at their doors —such as Mackenzie, bevels, and AVaiinutc, etc. In Southland, the chairman said, (thecost of administration was only s.tven Per cent.

I hey were not- com'.-rued about Southland, remarked Mr Monahan. Comparisons to In; of any value, should be made with their neighbours. Air Armilage said he had not coni, piled those figures, but quoting from AD' Elatmali's figures, it. was shown that tie- cost of administration in lb.; -Mackenzie County wa- ,I-ills, Revels L'lto.'!, Marinate f Hill I, I ‘.ei'.ddiuo -flinty ,L' to-ill. The latter figuns included cost of administration by Geraldine Count v Council C72S, I '.ee.-ddin-Road Hoard X'.'lMl. Temuka Road Board C 2.17 a id Ml. |V-1 Road Board f lot).

Mr P. b arcing .--aid his opinion was (hat it would be absolutely a mistake to merge Temuka with Geraldine ;l nd M.t. Pe, 1. Already Hi HV roll Id si' -*

s(. l'niio’ Jealousies i.:re"|ibur in. ami it "as wisdom, "lien things «av heiny "el! dona (as limy were by I he Tomnka Hoad Hoard) lo 1 I things wall alone. Tim old woollen eulverls had now been replaced by runnel:', anil llieii- expenses in I ho fnimv. a s far as lie could would be no areatee Ilian in (lie past. ( Applause). b'espeel my Me A emit aye’s esl im •> (:■ of (lie sa' iny jo he i Tfeeled by ( o| i" eoimly Idea, Me Talbot said lie ■nieslioned (hose (jeiifeJ ; buf rven allow I,iy- -a 1p,1,,. ( |; r 1 not (bat a .■ ,v----iny ol Coiib mill be e!T"e).. | ~, flm whole ' 111111 1 \ , was it -w oel h ;\vbil •. in 'dew. of I lie small portion that would be saved to Tunuika ratcpny- I

ers, to hand over their local government and privileges that, had given; them so n.ueh satisfaction? They) wire not certain that any saving could to elieeled, and they would not, he wise to give np what they had fur a prosneet. ‘ RESOLUTION. The rhaiirniiin called for a resolution, and on the motion' of Air Talbot, seconded by Mr tensor, the meeting resolved, by 17 votes to 9, “That this meeting, represeiding the, Teinuka rak’.payers, has no objection to olVi<r to the steps now being taken by Iho ratepayers of the (leraldinn and M:t. Peel districts to form their districts into a separate county.” 'l iaise voting against I he, motion wi re in favour of one county. Th:.; meeting then t:■rminat ,, d.

'Chat business which is a success in n small way without advertising, will bo a big siiccemi with advertising. And by iwlvortising, the time required to build the success will be Infinite!} •hnrt. And the longer one lives the more one learns of lha ir.erils of Tonklng’s Linseed Emulsion as a certain remedy for coughs, colds, inlluen/.a, sore throat, etc. The medical profession are loud- in ils praises. Client is! a and Stores—l /fi, 2/b, d/0-