To the Editor WAIRARAPA DAILY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 682, 2 February 1881, Page 2

To the Editor WAIRARAPA DAILY.

Sir,—Looking over the files of the Wairarapa papers published during my aqsenco in Melbourne, I notice a number of comments on the County system; as carried out in this district, the general 'purport of which give an impression that it has proved a partial, if not' a total failure, These'criticisms have now been followed by your-leading •■article of the 27th inst., in which it is suggested that'l, as Chairman of the West County, ought, in every way in my power, to do battle in defence nf,the system. ' " Though personally thwe nothing to object to in anything {hat has been said,, I feel that the time has come when public opinion ought to declare itself 'either for or against the County system, and that |t is'therefore desirable for those who havb thought lpciiover the question to express their views, With this object I will, as briefly as : possible, endeavor to dq sp, be glad if any remarks of mine provpjjp pt'it[cisn> and'fair discussion,

_ Those who are.acquainted with the political events'of "the last few years are of course'aware that the Qqunty.system was introduced as a substitute for Provincialism, it being seen by some'of the strongest advooates of a central government that it would be necessary to provide for the existence of governing bodies between the General Government of the Colony and the Road Boards. To provide a system which Bhould meet the greatly varying cjrcuinstances of the different parts of the colony, produced by Proviijpialisip/was a work of 'no'o'rdinai'y difljoulty'; in fact 1' am disposed to think that trie satisfactory solution of the. problem at the moment was impossible. ' Seeing—as. I do, and always have done—the pny defects' in the Counties Act as it would affect t)ie Counties in the Provincial District of Wellington, I begin to doubt, when J look at the whole Colony, whether anything better could then have been done. The result of passing the Act in the form lit took lias been that it' has given time for the extremely local feelings which results from Provincialism to become greatly modified, and to allow of t))q forirjation of a sound general opinion as 'to 'what js really required, on which future Legislature can be based. ' '■' "■ '

The great ■difficulty i|i adapting the County system to the whole colony arose from the fact that there existed in some parts of the colony—particularly in Auckland—a number of very small Road : Boards which it would be necessary for the County Counoil to almost completely control, while m others, a? in the Province of Wellington, the • Road Boards had control-of such large districts aa tobe'almost Counties in themselves, These bodies were doing their, work ao eiciently that it was most undesirable to supersede or to interfere with them in their own sphere of action. It being impossible to provide for suoh varying circumstances among the Road Boards, the framer of the Counties Act seems to have hit upon the happy thought of ignoring their existence as far as it was possible Jo do so, and the outcome of it was. that the Act was passed in such a form as' inevitably to lead to contests between tlie two bodies, only ending in the "survival of the fittest," unless worked with, great discretion. So far as I have had. opportunities of judging, I believe this discretion has been wisely exercised in: consequence of the general feeling that the. existence of botli hodies is necessary, and; that, by working in a spirit of fairness, "contests between the two can be avoided till the time oomes.when, as I have already said, Legislature may be'based on a sound public opinion,- andthe functions of tho*-two bodies clearly defined.' : -- : •■ • We have,-however, become so accustomed to conducting all our- affairs, at a hi?h pressure speed that there is a feeling ;of impatience atthe delay involved in thus' allowing, things to quietlyi; settle .'theni-. selves; and .a. constant; demand is/'made for what may be called lature,* :V:.'-r''j':.';r/-. : "l

■; Yoqr leading article, in oriticisirigithe remarks I ventured to make 'at the last

Council mebtmg, assumes .that I anvan advocate of violent change m ourjytfgu ;I must have expressed myself very badly if Hie Council so understood me. 1«, however, that I merely wished to ttoicatetheciireotion which I believed public opinibiiio be taking, and which ged to iM6 likely in" due course to lead to Legislature irr the-direction I ;»ugßf««°.Myremark^tptfeMbUw^tu«on of County Councils,' under £new*y«eto, byOhairmen'of Road boards: you vhave criticised as'though!hadexpressed* «e-.. finite-opinion in: favor of-thjs-particular scheme, ; ; -.'-.• -.- ■ : ■ ; The expression,!used waa,.l peiieVM very carefully guarded one on this .Mint, which I said was a matter of and.. as such requiring,caroful consideration.:.. The general purport of my remarks WM to the effect'that I believed both Couhtiei and Road Boards were required, and that future Legislation would-. h'ave,]more clearly to define- their respective functions and to provide-for the election of .members of each on some system which, would tend to make'them portions of a harmonious whole in a system of local self-gov-ernment, instead of being bo constituted that the public mind, Seeing cleatly<<g»rboth cannot continue to exist as should be: continually debating; the . question as to which should be abolished. My object since I have ocoupied the position of Chairman of the Council, and in which I have been heartily .supported by a large majority—l may almost say, but for small differences, the who]e-rof the Council, haß been, so far as is possible under the existing law, to; take the position which it seems likely the Councils will ultimately hold. With this in view we have carefully avoided any interference with Road Boards in the carrying on of ' works which come within, .their sphere of action, and for which they, have efficient staffs available, and -have directed, .our attention to those works which are of great ultimate importance to the district as a whole, and which would: not. have been so efficiently carried out 1 by Road Boards. ' ;' As this letter is already quite long enough, I will, for the present, conclude here, and reserve for a future one a statement of what the Council has done and proposes to do, which, I think, will be a sufficient answer to those who ask—"What is the use of the County Council f lam, isc, : ' i,! .O.PHABAZYJf. Longwood, Jan. 31st.