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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 522, 15 July 1881, Page 2

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>tmma if; v.y.u) >::.■.■-:■■ i 1 ., iln , ;- \\n>. XVl'AdhlX;, *•«!< ii J, ■■■':••■: 0 )i. v.r<- both Si lo.i C.I ti.<' i.'-'fa-:'- n;. aR .0 tr.t , KH'i.M.'ii/' .i- ■..'■)ai'!i.!»i , .'! i - l>. •H^ don:) iii tVu'r-ivt-f n> i !,(:ji /■(■ ?■;•:;'•:den 1 .;, except |:0i h not ci •• ••■■ Ltj'c, -'.Lvo "sliv (,'f Ojiiaion as to vrih<t tiuii s< nu '. imj; ilinild be anJ the? giugri'Ty with which most of.tije S[h; •> ]iuvv» up - preached the subject as Uγ as fiuy new proposal goes. On nil si'i"s Iγ.v.} the Government bcL'i U tor thei: , apathy in the mutter, but fcli- , . mo.-it severe roprim-'nuls iiaro c> , me fVoui their own aide uf the fiouvc Mr Wakofiold, ono oi thoir siauchest .supporters, the ljmn hvaly uu-intio-icd in connection with tho v;;Ciiat ])ortiVlio, will not allow evon the in b'.< [ily

to be passed without taking his " honorable friends " to tusk on this subj ct. He says : — lam bf'Und to say that T am disappointed that m\ honoiiibie friends on those benches have uot ere this viven ns a plain assurance thai they will lare this question boldly [t i<! not a question. It is a large question. It is the largest question of politics in this country at the present time by far. It is the only question of politics in this country that ie worth considering seriously at all, because it involves all other questions in its comprehensive grasp.

Mr Bunny, while announcing that it would take a great deal to make him vote against the Government, proceeds utterly to demolish their administration in almost every particular, and winds up by demanding that the country should be " put in a proper s/iape for local government." But it is useless to multiply examples. Suffice it to say that from mm of the most diverse political opinions comes the same cry—" Our institutions for local go- eminent have proved a failure. We niunt have some radical change." The subject seems to introduce itself neck and crop, as it were, into every discussion that arises. The Hospitals and Charitable Aid Bill is met on its second reading with what the Premier rightly characterizes as a want of confidence motion, desiring the Government to take back their Bill, and bring , in a general measure providing for local governmei.t. Even the debates on tiie Licensing Bill iiave not been exempt from allusions to this burning question.

Now, as cause and effect go hand in hand, there must be reasons for tin's wonderful unanimity and no less reinnrkiiblc diversity of opinion. What are they ? We veiture to think they are not far to seek. Since the abolition of (he Provinces many local bodies have been in receipt of much larger sums of money than were ever placed* at their uncontrolled disposal before In most cases they have spent this money, perchance '* not wisely, but too we 11 ,,, and now, like a celebrated youth, they " ask for more." Where the money is to come from does not trouble them in' the least. Many of them look upon the " General Government " as an abstraction, and seem to imagine that money can be procured from it without any one's pocket being touched. Others, more astute, imagine that by some means they can appropriate money which will be contributed by other people.

This, we take it, is one half of the reason for the unanimity prevailing in the House on this subject. The other half is to be found in the near approach of a general election. When the Hon iVI ember for Mud fog addresses his consti tueuts prior to the election, he will be able to tell his admiring auditors that he used all possible exertions to hive the Mudfog district placed in ample funds for fulfilling their arduous duties, and also that he vainly endeavored to get a sum placed on the sup )lementary estimates for the repair of their Town Pump. These statements will be received with " loud cheers," and will go a long way to secure the honorable gentleman's return.

One member of tho House hit the right nail on the head, when he remarked that what the districts wanted was—not institutions, but money. The qiu'S.ion is, where , thi« money is to come lroin. The Colonial Treasurer was about ;•:;•!;; when he said tli.it they uiu.«>t recog- -.'..■■• ■.'.- Iyu !"■ lint there wns no other ■■■•■■■ -.I l ,in,:-; liii.ney tliiiii out'of their ■■: ,•.:.:;>. Tiio contiimjuvjc of the t >ii uf subsidies, which Ins been denounced as debauching find demoralising , in the 1 st degree, involves this further question. Shall additional taxation be imposed by the central authority in order that its proceeds may bo handed over to local bodies to do what they like with ? When thus baldly stated, we do not think there are half-a-dozen public men to be found who would advocate it. The money corrvs out of the pockets of the people all tho sumo, bat it is raised by one aathority find spent by another—a fatal objection. the bulkofthe consolidated revenue is derived from customs duties. These are contributed to by every man, woman uvul child in the community. But the only persona having the remotest control j over the expenditure of the funds of the local bodies are ihose owning or occupyieg , land. Here we have introduced the vicious priuciple of taxation without repivsentation. We are aware that Major Atkinson belongs pre-eminently to the party of •' jidliti. nl rot," and with this party we have iiM sympathy. Nevertheless we i agree with the advice of the Latin I bard :— I

" Dircp. docendns adhuc quae censet funiculus, ut si Csecua iter monstrare velit," and we must say we consider that there is great force in the Treasurer's remarks that the country has got local government already. Between Counties and Road Boards there is quite enough administrative machinery. As to the respective merits of the two, the ratepayers in the various localities can judge, and can give effect to their judgment.

Meanwhile, we await with some interest the promulgation of Sir George Grey's scheme. The honorable gentleman, as we understand him, proposes to make bricks without straw, in other words, to get money without taking it out of any one's pocket. If he succeeds, he ought to command the unanimous snpport of the House and the country, But time will show.