The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1885. Local Government.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1535, 8 May 1885, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1885. Local Government.

It is evident that the Stout-Vogel Government have realised that the ratepayers of this colony are thoroughly in earnest in their demand for an improved form of local self-government. The Colonial Treasurer, at least, has recognised that the existence of the Ministry in which he occupies so prominent a position, in which he exercises an influence so congenial to his ambition and interests, will be very much lengthened or curtailed by the success or failure of the legislation he has promised on this important subject. Sir Julius Vogel in his address to the electors of Auckland announced his intention, subject to the approval of his colleagues, to invite the chairmen of local bodies to .meet him in Wellington to discuss the Government’s proposals on this subject, or rather to frame a local government scheme themselves, but the other members of the Cabinet appear to have discountenanced the suggestion, and we were spared the cost of what would have been a very useless and undignified proceeding. But still the Treasurer does not feel the question; he would gladly assign satisfied with his own ability to deal with the task and the responsibility of possible failure to other hands. The fact is that while Sir Julius Vogel is quite at home in what may be styled the mercantile departments of Government, he has always shown himself singularly lacking in constructive statesmanship. His last move has been to invite the municipal bodies of the colony to furnish him with their views upon the particular Act dealing with their constitution and powers. In response to this invitation the Ashburton Borough Council was summoned to meet last evening, but, the councillors probably feeling some diffidence in sharing the Treasurers herculean labor, there was no quorum present at the appointed hour to formulate the views of the Council. Whether other municipal bodies display a similar hesitancy or whether they voluminously comply with ; he invitation, the Treasurer will cerainly sit down to prepare his promised measure confronted by a mass of conflicting advice, which will rather complicate than simplify his task, and will very much imperil the ultimate success of his labors. He told us sometime ago that in his opinion the difficulty was mainly one of finance. We are not disposed to under - estimate the importance of this feature, but there are questions of constitution and administration which will prove even more difficult of solution. Not only is intolerable inconvenience occasioned in this colony by the necessity for referring purely local matters to a tribunal which knows little about the subject, and cares still less; but it is obvious that the Legislature is hampered and overwhelmed by the necessity for attending to both colonial and local legislation. Enterprise is unduly checked, and social matters neglected, because nothing can be done without the sanction or initiation of an overworked Parliament, which, during a hurried and crowded session, cannot attend to all its pjultifanous duties. This is especially the case jyhe.n any great question arises in the House. Practical legislation is then set aside for a more convenient season, which season, if it comes at all, comes very late. Nor is this the only, perhaps not the worst, evil which attaches to the mixing up of local and colonial affairs. It is notorious that many of the best and most influential members of the House of Representatives ajre t!)2 worst in a local sense, and constituencies who elect prominent politicians often do so at a sacrifice of local interests ; therefore, such men are often passed over for those who will attend to the pressing local matters which at present are so unnecessarily taken to Wellington, The question is a very large one; our space does not allow us to deal with all its different aspects, but we are satisfied that unless Sir Julius Vogel has made himself personally acquainted with the problem he proposes to solve, unless he is prepared with a comprehensive, complete and independent measure he will find the question of Local Government beset with other difficulties than that of mere finance