THROWN OVERBOARD.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1449, 25 May 1912, Page 4

THROWN OVERBOARD.

The fate which has befallen the Local Government Bill is only what everyone outside the Ministry expected. The delegates representing the various local bodies made it very clear that in its main features it was quite an impossible measure, and instead of being in the nature of reform, was really seeking to establish an even less satisfactory system than that at present in force. In his opening address to the Conference on Tuesday last the Minister for Internal Affairs said the leading feature of the Bill, so far as its policy proposals were concerned, was undoubtedly that for the establishment of Provincial Councils. To these Provincial Councils it was proposed to hand over the control of harbours, education, and hospitals and charitable aid. Harbour Boards, Education Boards, and Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards were to be abolished, and the whole of their functions carried out by these Provincial Councils. "Sir Joseph Ward," said Mr. Russell, in referring to this proposal, "has in my opinion approached this question as a statesman, rather than as a mere politician," and the Conference decided that it was desirable in the interests of the country to jettison the whole of this "statesmanlike" scheme. The Conference should be productive of some good because it has served to bring under notice some of the directions in which there is a very general agreement reform should go. But it is a striking commentary on their incapacity and ignorance of the requirements of the country that after something like 20 years' consideration of the question of local government reform the leaders of the 'Liberal" party should bring down a measure which meets with such whole-hearted condemnation so far as its vital principles are concerned. Never, perhaps, before in the history of this country was an important policy brought forward by the party in power to be so completely torn to shreds by a non-party tribunal. The only redeeming feature so far as the Government is concerned is that even its representative at the Conference was abb to see when it was pointed out to him, aud was candid enough to admit, the utter hopelessness of Sm Joseph Ward's "'statesmanlike" production.