The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 5.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 205, 5 July 1878, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 5.

The state of the important question of charitable aid is far from satisfactory, and by no means creditable to the Government. An exhaustive debate on the subject took place at the last meeting of the S lwyn County Council,' and, after due deliberation, that body declined under present circumstances to; assume any responsibility in the ; matter, We cannot help thinking that they were right in tlieir: decision. : The action of the Government leads, rightly or wrongly, to the impression that tlieir chief desire is to get rid of a troublesome responsibility on any terms, without due provision for the satisfactory and equitable carrying on of the work. The proposals-made by the first Conference of Mayors and County Chairmen, and since acceded to by the Government, appear to offer a fair solution of at least a portion of the difficulty, but it is perfectly evident that fresh legislation will be required to give effect. to them. It would never do to leave it optional to each locality ■to join, or refuse to join, ■in the formation of the proposed central board or league. Some small district might selfishly stand aloof, and refuse to bear its share of the burdens, leaving its poor and sick to the care of its more just and generous neighbors. Again, disputes might arise as to the proportion of contributions to be levied from each locality, and a sort of honorary loan, the only one possible in the present state of the law, would have no power'to enforce its decisions. " Besides the maintenance of existing institions, it will be necessary, as population increases, to erect buildings for hospitals and asylums, and for this expenditure it will probably be requisite to raise loans, further showing the necessity for the existence of a body having a proper legal status

The financial aspect of the question seems to be involved in hopeless obscurity. We doubt if even the proverbial " Philadelphia lawyer" could evolve an intelligible opinion out of the mass of ■" Financial Arrangements Acts," " Amending Acts," "Public Revenues" Acts," &c, bearing on the financial relations of local bodies, to the central authority. We observe that the solicitor to the Christclmrch City Council has given it as his opinion that no legal au thority exists for deductions from subsidies for charitable charges from the Ist January, 1878. In a telegram to the Mayor of Christchurch, the Colonial Secretary says :—" After to-day (July 1) the deductions from subsidies, however, from January 1, become irrecoverable." Does this mean that Government will not part with deductions already made, whether legally or illegally ? or that they find they cannot " recover " or make any further deductions ? The former is a most gratuitous piece of information ; if the latter be the meaning, it is so far from satisfactory, .in that it will no doubt lead to definite legislation taking place on the subject without unnecessary .delay. We perceive that the (government has nominated a Board to act temporarily in the matter for the County of Selwyn, with its included boroughs of Christchurch and Sydenham, promising to supply the funds, and also the services of their officers pro tern. Could not a similar arranger;icct be made with regard to Akaroa ? The Borough-Council has decided to take over the charitable aid, not from any love of the task, but because they were under the ■ impression" thai it must be done, and that the penalty of refusal would probably be a certain loss of subsidy. If some similar board could be appointed here as a temporary measure, we feel sure that the Borough Council would be willing to let their recently passed resolution "remain in abeyance," which was the expression used by the Mayor of Sydenham, with regard to the action taken by the council of that borough. On the broad general principles of the question, and the shape which, in our opinion, legislation should take, we shall have something to : say on a future occasion. ..-.,.

Insufficient wharf accommodation, ory perhaps, more correctly, faulty wharf construction, is likely to prove a.serious obstacle to trade in Akaroa. The detention of the steamer Hawea on Monday last is a case in point, and one out of many instances in which the evil has been forcibly demonstrated. The grounding of that vessel, and her .consequent delay of some hours in this port, involving as it does considerable loss to .the Company, cannot fail to militate against a- successful regular service productive of profit alike to the owners and the public. It is stated on reliable authority that unless the coasting steamers can receive quick discharge here, that it does not pay to call in, as it entails an inadequate loss of time iii Lyttelton, and other more important places. This is more especially the case with steamers proceeding north, the time of their departure from Port Chalmers leaving but little margin for the work in Lyttelton, and it is found

that the delay resulting from the intermediate call at Akaroa generally repre seats a loss of twenty-four hours in their discharge at that port. Dependent as we arc for onr main; import and export trade ■upon the regularity of this steam service, it us to combat as far as, psssibje ;the obstacles that exist to its successful, and the question of wharf extentioh,- or, better still, of the erection of a now wharf in a more suitable i position, Becomes of vital importance. ' To this eiijl, we would suggest the forma*' tion ofa Harbor Board here, with full powers over the jetties, and any other harbor works there might be, the revenue 6f f subh;Boar&|^ age rates and dues,' supplemented by an endowment of land. By this means there- would■ be a local body, .having, control over the wharves, &c, within the harbor and responsible for their management and keeping. The formation of a Harbor Board is the only feasible method by which we can see a way to the: carrying out of necessary additions, alterations, &c. That Government will refuse any assistance may 'be: considered- a certainty, though a Harbor Board scheme would, doubtless, receive their approval, and the land: endowment would be gladly given in exchange - for relieving them of all responsibility with regard to harbor works. The suggestion is worthy of consideration, and we lay it before our readers with a view to reverting to the subject on a future occasion. That the present wharf accommodation is insufficient for the class of steamers now calling here is an indisputable fact; that its insufficiency is calculated to injure the trade cannot be denied ; and such being the case it is full time for some steps to be taken to improve the present state of affairs.