THE COUNTY SYSTEM.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 29 July 1881, Page 2

THE COUNTY SYSTEM.

[to ths bpitob inangahua times.] Sib,— Agreeing cordially as I do with the remarks contained in your yester** day's issue upon our present system of local government, I crave indulgence to make a few observations on the same subject. You show that under the County system the whole of the rates collected annuilly in the Inangahua Connty are swallowed up yearly in salaries to officers of the Council. At this rate then tbe ratepayers here bave paid between £7,000 and £8,000 in salaries alone since the County system was first introduced, to say nothing of the thousauds upon thousands of pounds squandered away upon compensations, deputations, Conrt expenses, and general contingencies. Take things as they are now. It is only a few months ago that tbe Council paid between £2000 and £3000 compensation to tbe maintenance contractors to relinquish their contracts. Tbis was done it was said, because the Council could not continue to pay the contractors, and no new works were let. But was any corresponding reduction made in tbe expenses of the Council P No. Tbe clerk's salary was increased £1 per week, the members voted themselves honor* arium to the tune of from £25 to £40 apiece, and an Engineer who faithfully and accurately discharged his duties, as well as the additional services of valuer and rate collector, for the sum of £5 per week, was exchanged to make room for a successor at £6 per week, who though privately a nice amiable gentleman, is officially neither fish, flesh, nor fowl, So that as the work of the Council fell off its staff expenses increased, and it is now quietly eating its head off. What have the Council to show for the past years' transactions P Is tbere one road, track, or bridge in the County as the result of tbe last years' £l2oo of rates, £1000 of license fees, £1400 of gold duty and other revenues? I defy anyone to point out one useful and substantial work for all this money. A special audit of the County accounts would reveal that the funds haye gone, not in the maintenance of tracks, for the tracks have been left to maintain themselves ; not in the construction of roads and bridges, be* cause no works of the kind have been done, The money, after paying salaries, travelling expenses, deputation, &c, has gone to pay compensation to maintenance contractors, on contracts tbe Council had no right to enter into* Those contracts were let for three years, and at the end of the first year the Council bought tbe contractors out. Tbis is the way the hard earned money of the ratepayers bas been squandered under the County system, and what is there to show tbat the same thing would not be repeated again, with the County electoral rolls all nicely fixed up, and every vote for tbe ruling power all totted up and mai_e snug for the November elections. But the game is up, and nothing can save the system from being swept away as tbe worst ins cabas that was ever cast upon the people, lam, &c, VOX POPULI. Reefton, July 27th, 1881. o_______________j_— _______