WHAT PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES THINK ABOUT COUNTY COUNCILS AND ROAD BOARDS.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 554, 4 November 1881, Page 2

WHAT PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES THINK A BOUT COUNTY COUNCILS AND ROAD BOARDS.

As this snttj 'i'A is e::ci:ing'gn-nt interest in tin's county just no a , , wo intend under this lie-idin,!* , to tivo the opinions of snine of the candidates for parli unentary honors on tlie subject.

Mr D. McMillan, candidate for lli-j Coloridge seat, made the following remarks at a meeting at Glentinnel :—Tiio greatest defect in our lou'al government is tho County Councils, which are simply 'jig Road Boards in powv-r and administrative capacity, and as the Road Hoard works well and does the work, there is little left for the Council but to lax dogs, slaughter houses, and a few other thinga that Road Boards could do equally as well. It is true that the Ashburton and Seiwyri Councils have certainly done good work in irrigation, boundary bridges, etc., but as they are spending the balance of the land fund, and there is nothing to replace; it, tht:ir usefulness in that respect will soon be gone. He thought that the counties should be larger. They had now sixtythree counties in New Zealand. Half that number, or even less, would be sufficient. Ho wo aid increase their administrative powers, but, as they would have the distribution of funds they should not be entrusted with legislation, as the one has often a corrupt influence on tho other. Their revenue should consist of dosr taxes, all fines, fees, licenses, rates, and 25 per cent of the land run.l, and a capitation grant of so much per head of tho population. The principle of the £ for Ai subsidy was bad. and acted as a premium for rating. By making the County Councils more useful they would absorb soveral of the nominated Boards, such as tho Charitable Aid Board, etc. Acclimatisation societiesshould also be abolished ; the Councils could well carry out what little of work remains to be done, and with tbe societies' revenue could rid ihe country of the mischievous pests witli which it is over-run, The constitution and working of boroughs and Road Boards are good and with some improvement in the county system, so as to act between them and the central Government, it would make our local form of government mom complete. Besides, it would have a healthy influence on Ihe of Representatives, by relieving it of a great deal of time in debate, which no doubt in many case* led to what is called " axe-grinding. ,.

Mr Wilson said at Merivnlo tint he believed the people of Now Zealand were over governed. Tiiey had too many bodies, too many collectors, a , id too many ratas. The Sslwy:i Cju ity iucluded a vast area of territory, within which there were a great number of public bodies. There were twenty Road Boards and six or seven other local bodies, opart from Borough Ciuncils. They were spending in connection wilh these bodies about £4000 a year for departmental expanses, and ho thought the work might be done for half the amount. Tlr- County Council should be cut up into three bounty of works, which should include nil Borough and City Councils, and ail rate colh-cnng bodies. With telephones find the telegraph the aff-u'rs of the disirict cou'd be administered from thft three oenties as simply as if tho authority was on the snot. In that way they cou\i have their Di.siuTge Board, their 80-idof Health and their

Ivkhl Boards brought i>;to connection u'itii the Hoard of Pii-li.- Works. Tiiere shouid l>e a piiid ohuman and a subordinate engineer. Ho i>c!i;--v<>d iii.it with s ic!i an arrangement as he h.»d indi.-ated th-3 I"imness of the distri't i-ouid bo carried out for abo it 10'J per lt-uL less than the present t.-o-'t. .Mr C'Uiiiinjhmi s-iid at Ashley : — S-> far as lo.ml went, he wis in favor of Ifctiing the (Jounties Act alone and fxteni.inir to a ct-itnin i-xti nt ihe pou-er-of th';' Road Bo;.nl*. The ciy for improved local "overniuent seemed to spring from the North island, in whi'.'h the ey<tem of the local management of public affairs was pmhnhly deficient. He would regret to see County Councils usurping the functions of the Waste Lands Boards.

Mr Purnell at Rakaia said:—Too mu*h parish wurk now devolved on the General Assembly, and the local bodies hid been deprive ! of iheir share in the government of tiie roiintiy. In many parts it was thought lo !••• the liisc duly of a member to gel as much money ;s possible voted for his particular district, and. under the existing siato of things, he should (;<ttainl}*, if olected, endeavor to see iluu the district ho hud the bonor of representing received a fair share of public ej pend : turo. Yettho system placed the Government, the Assembly, and the constituencies in a Case positio.i. The on tiro- man.-igement of pii'ihc works should devolve on local bodies, nndjthc Assembly should be simply a legislative body. As Government was now constituted, it would he impossible to coutinno paying subsidies to local bodies.

Farmt'i's could no!, he-ir up against twofold rating , by Road B ur.ls :uid County Council?. Tha General Government must be re-construcLiid ou a strictly 10-^i-lativo bn;;i'!, and funds sat free for the local bodies.