LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 127, 22 February 1919, Page 8

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

(To tho Editor.) Sir,—ln my opinion your sub-leader of even date has not touched the fringe of the matter. The writer must know that we aie, in spite of our boasted claim to democratic ideas and progress, 30 years behind the Mother Country. The British Parliament, in 1888 passed a Local Government Bill, which embraced, in somo cases, towns of over forty thousand inhabitants. Tho object of the Bill was to group together the .large number of small bodies which liad from time to timo grown up. The London County Council, for example, I suppose tho largest municipal body in tho world, is a group of London suburban bodies. The exceptions to the operations of the Act vero confined to the City of London and two or three other cities which were left out of the Bill on account of their ancient charters. To come at the real crux of the matter—the local authorities of New Zealand should combine together to force the Government of the day to pass a comprehensivo system of local government. Successive Governments for the past 30 years have promised to do so. But just imagine a local M.P., with five or six local bodies in his electorate, voting for such a scheme. Ho would have to pass out. But, believe me. Mr. Editor, it will have to be fixed, I sooner or lut^r.

For God's sake for the good of our country, let us face the. music, if it involves a special session of Parliament fo carry it out. I know I am only (niching the fringe of the matter which so iuanv %avo at heart.—l am, etc., • GUAELUS EUSSELL, Eona Bay, February 20, 1919.