The Western Star. (PUBLISHED WEEKLY.) SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1880.

Western Star, Issue 347, 1 May 1880, Page 5

The Western Star. (PUBLISHED WEEKLY.) SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1880.

In connection with the expression of opinion which was given the other day by the ratepayers of the Otautan and Wairio ridings, regarding the proposal to construct a bridge across the Aoariraa, near the Double Cabbage Tree, it may not be out of place here to point out that the action of the County Council has been somewhat irregular. In doing so, however, we must not be credited with a desire to oppose a work which, we have no hesitation in saying, is one which would prove of great value to the district if carried out. What we propose to do ourselves at. present is merely to point out that any expression of opinion given by the ratepayers of the two ridings is of no value, inasmuch as it practically commits them, to nothing. The proposition submitted to the ratepayers the other day was, Whether or not they desired that a sum of £2500 should be expended in the construction of a certain bridge, such sum to be a first charge upon any loan which might hereafter be obtained by the County ? It was also understood that the interest and sinking fund of the above sum was to be borne in certain proportions by these ridings. From the foregoing it is to be presumed that the Council was prepared to find the money in the meantime till a loan should be obtained. But the special-point we wish to draw attention to is this, that the consent of the ratepayers to the abeve proposal does not also involve the necessary consent to a loan being raised ; and ih that consent had not been obtained, what would have been the position of the Council with regard to the expenditure of the £2500 on the proposed bridge ? Simply this, that a sum of £2500 would have been taken out of the ordinary revenue of the County and spent on this work for the benefit of a very small number of the ratepayers of the whole bounty. We cun easily imagine the ratepayers of the Otautau and Wairio ridings consenting to such a proposal; but we fail to see why the consent of the ratepayers throughout the rest of the County should not also be obtained to such an appropriation of their revenue, so long as it remains problematical whether the general consent will be given to raise a loan at all. The provisions of the'Counties Act with regard to loans are easily enough understood. Any proposal to boirow money byway of loan must state the special works to be undertaken, and the amounts proposed to be expended thereon. A poll of the ratepayers in each riding lias then to be taken as to whether a loan shat) be raised for the amount and for the purposes set forth. Should the result of the poll be in favor of the proposal, then the Council is empowered to proceed therewith. There, is, however, no provision for obtaining the consent of one or two ridings in the manner adopted the -other day. Before any loan could be raised, the whole question would have to be submitted to all the ratepayers in the County for decision ; and it is quite conceivable that the decision of any particular riding given now might in the course of six or twelve mouths be reverse 1- through various causes, such as a large increase in the number of ratepayers, —a contingency which might very readily occur through the rapid increase of deferred-payment settlement, • It is always nesirable that the transactions of public bodies should be conducted in strict accordance with their statutory powers ; and while wo gladly admit that the proceedings of the Wallace County Council are usually free from criticism in that particular, we may add that is for that very reason that we should regret a departure from its ordinary line of conduct in this particular instance.