The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 1877.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 49, 5 January 1877, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 1877.

The various County Councils are iioav in Session ; the system of loc.il self-government, which is to take the place "of provincialism, is fairly inaugurated, and the colorists will be watching with no little anxiety the movements of their representatives in these Councils, upon whose action, whether for weal or woe, the future Avill greatly depone!. Whilst "fully recognising the right of members of the County Councils to conduct their business in the manner which seems to them to be the fittest, it may not be out of place to point them to an example of failure in a similar body, the causes of which they would do well to avoid, unless .they wish to make similar shipwreck. The County Council of Westland was the first established in NeAV Zealand. It was called into being by a special act of the General Assembly, in response to a most numerously signed petition from the inhabitants, praying for separation from the Province of Canterbury, of which at that time Westland formed a portion. This council, at the first onset, consisted of several members elected by various districts, and was presided over by a chairman nominated by the Governor. The County Council of Westland had no legislative powers, it was scarcely an administrative body ; in fact, it was little more than a council of advice, the administration of affairs in Westland being carried on by the County Chairman on instructions from the General Government, which, however, Avere generally in accordance with the. Avishes of thr County Council. One would have thought that a body thus simply constituted, and possessing such very limited poAvers, would have worked smoothly and well, but it Avas not so, and the reason will soon be obvious. Amongst the members of the fir , ' County Council of Westland, were four or five who had been members of the Provincial Council of Canterbury. These gentlemen Avere greatly afflicted Avith cacoethes'iloqiiendi; they were interminable talkers, and loved to see their speeches reported in full in tile neAvspapers, vainly supposing that the public Avere greatly interested in the perusal of their remarks, whilst the truth was that scarcely nine out of ten persons took the trouble to read them. In addition to this, the members referred to, took from the first to aping the forms and manner of procedure of the Provincial Council—with Avhat result Avill soon be seen. The Chairman, the Hon. John Hall, opened the Session hi a very brief speech, in which he pointed out the duties, and functions of the Council. A select committee was at once appointed to draw up an address in reply, which in due time Avas adopted by the council, and as duly presented. Very full of quiet sarcasm was Mr. Hall's reply. After thanking the council, he proceeded to remark that although there could be no objection to such a procedure at the opening of the first County Council, yet if he might be alloAved to make a suggestion, it would be that their manner of

conducting business should be as simple as possible. This advice,, good though it was, was disregarded. The thin end of the wedge had been got in, .and it did not take long to drive it home. At the conclusion of the Session Mr. Hall resigned the chairmanship, and was succeeded by the Hon. James Bonar. During Mr. Bonar's administration the memlers of the council clamoured for the right to elect the chairman, and for extended powers. They got both. A salary of six hundred pounds a year was attached to the office of chairman. A fierce contest for tho post ensued, and as it frequently happens in such cases, , the most incompetent of all the candidates got elected. Matters from that time Wi.mt on swimmingly. The members

.voted themselves au honorarium for attendance during the Session, and also— if we mistake not—for serving on select committees ; these, we need scarcely remark, were numerous, and the Sessions of the Council of a protracted character. At length the, county of Westland expanded into a full blown province, with Superintendent,' Provincial Council, and all the farce of responsible igovernmont, having about as much dignity and grnndeur as is to be found in the government of a petty German* state, so inimitably pourtrayed in Offenbach's political opera—" The Grand Duchess.". Matters went on, until at last in no part of New Zealand was abolition hailed with greater delight than in Westland. We have given this brief narrative of the doings of the Westland County Council, as a beacon to warn off dangers to be avoided. We are aware that the County Councils now in existence' are differently constituted from that which formerly prevailed in Westland. They have well defined administrative powers, and, to a limited extent, legislative functions, having the power to pass byelaws for good, order and government. In short, they are municipal institutions with jurisdiction over large areas. Still the temptation may present itself to the minds of some members, that it is very desirable that certain subjects should be very fully debated, and this we think should be avoided as much as possible. We have no desire to interfere with the freedom of speech, or the full expression of opinion; what we object to is, that ceaseless talk which, like a shallow stream, results in nothing but babble, wasting a great deal of power—to wit, valuable time—to no purpose. Let the members of these councils remember, that the more simple the manner in which they conduct their proceedings, the greater will be their dignity ; a dignity greater from its simplicity than any fancied grandeur to be desired from aping institutions which have passed away.