A BAD EXAMPLE

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 944, 11 October 1910, Page 4

A BAD EXAMPLE

■ The unfortunate bungling which has taken place in' connection with the sanitary arrangements. at Government House opens up a' very much larger question than; the immediate trouble under consideration] The Public Works Department, in connecting Government House with the city sewage system, carried out the work without regard for .the municipal by-laws or for the views of the City Corporation's Engineering Department. It -must be 'obvious that the municipal officials with their special knowledge of the city drainage system arc in a better, position to decide what is desirable and necessary in carrying out such connections than tho officers of the Public Works Department. By-laws .have been specially framed to suit local conditions and ' to ensure satisfactory sanitary arrangements for the city, and everyone but the Government is compelled to comply with the restrictions imposed. It must strike all who trouble to think about the , matter as a very remarkable thing that tho Government should refuse to bo- bound by the-law which it is the duty of

the Government in the final issue to enforce against the,private citizen. If the Government shows so little regard for the municipal law—which can only be enacted by virtue of authority granted by the Parliament of the country—how can the Government expect that instinctive respect, for, thV law so essential to the proper conduct of p.iiblic affairs on the. part of the general public'? It is not-only in connection with sanitary by-laws that the Ministry overrides the conditions laid down by the.municipality in the interests of the city and its people. The building by-laws have been repeatedly broken. Wooden buildings are erected within the brick area at pleasure, to the possible'.danger, of the property'of citizens and- on occasions to the disfigurement of the locality. Instances of such', breaches may be seen in the grounds! of, Government Buildings and in other parts of the city. We arc • quite aware that the Geneiral Government has.jpiqwer to over-ride the municipality 1 in such matters, but'it; was never intended that 'that' power .should be exercised in the manner : that'has been witnessed here'for-many-past. Special circumstances are;c6nceivable,'under which: it would be inadvisable that the Government should be restricted in its operations by the local by-laws, but such : cases' would 'be very '.exceptional. As things now are the Government; does' as it pleases whether the.'.circumstances are'exceptional or not, . and occasionally it or the city suffers,for its unwise and impolite disregard of by-laws which the public interest demands' that everyone else should comply with. Possibly/ its' ■';. experience with the drains',at'Government House, may .have a- beneficial,effect in making it more 'careful..' for a little time to .come, but until ••' it realises the harmful .possibilities un-derlying''-the 'principle \of. ,'av.Government thus.'.oyef-riding city, bylaws we. are not hopeful of material improvement. If law-mak-. ers and those,'to_-,whom is entrusted enforcement of civil order create the impression that: they? treat; the . law with contempt they-must ,_nbt be. surprised, if the general publio shows an inclination, ". to ..lollow theirvbad; eiaiiiple,-..."''.-'.^-'■'.•'!:.'.,'• ...'...•■ ■'.'• >■' -\.?. r .''".'.