The Daily Telegraph. MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1884.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4169, 1 December 1884, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1884.

We hear from Wellington that Ministers are earnestly engaged in the consideration of the local government question. It was Sir Julius Vogel who was instrumental in sweeping away provincialism in 1875, and now, nine years afterwards, he has had to acknowledge that the system that took its place is inefficient. In his financial statement Sir Julius said :—•" The present system of local government fell short of what the interests of the country required; that the Government had "determined rto appoint, during the recess, a ; Royal Commission to enquire into and report on the whole subject ; and that, upon the results of .the Commission's labors, theyi.hoped to be able, next session, to found legislation which would vastly improve the present system of local government." Not content with the above remarks, Sir Julius emphasised the opinion held by- the- Government on this question by repeating the end of his statement;-" Still one thing remains —the system of local government must be improved. The edifice cannot be crowned without we have ■ a satisfactory system of local self-governing institutions." And judging, says a Southern contemporary, by recent news from Wellington, the government are buckling to with such earnestness to the consideration _of this local government question that it is expected they will not bother about a Royal Commission, but deal' directly with tho question themselves. This is what thoy should do, and this is what they should be in a position to do; for, within the last four or five years a good deal of data_ touching local government havo been, officially collected at the instance of the Government. Besides, the shortcomings of the present system are patent to every eye. The local___ f bodies are unsatisfactory, 1 and there is -a [ demoralising element in the parliament _ of the country, because there is no effective separation'"between local and general financje, and what is first of all needful is that the local bodies should in every respect, as_ regards the raising of revenue and administration, be made absolutely self-dependent and that they should be entirely, and for. ever cut off from everything in the shape of f parliamentary aid. We are glad to heai\»|» that it is in this direction the mind of the Government is travelling.' Speaking, of what the Government havo_ quite lately been considering in connection with tho improvement of local self-government, one con-espondent says that, ; _" Parliament ; will be relieved ns far as possible of every- . thing except legislation _ on matters of colonial concern, such questions as the construction- and maintenance of roads and bridges, and the administration of hospitals and charitable aid being handed oyer entirely to the local bodies." "As to tho constitution,of, local bodies under,the proposed are told that "they will cither be framed on the basis of the existing counties or an enlargoment.of these, and, will not in any case take the shape of a restoration; of the old provinces;. In regard to the important, question of providing funds for the bodies, there are also details .which remain to be settled.. It may be taken for granted, however, that ..with , the .curtailment of its ; functions parliament will also have • to submit ,to a .-contraction of the , fund's at its disposal. The pro- • perty tax, for example, will, be localised ' and handed over to the local bodies,. and if ; that is abolished iv favor of a land tax the latter .will be. dealt with in the same. way. . j.TJip local 'bodies will retain.the license fees, etc., which they;,possesß, at the present time, , and will also be given extended powers <of : : taxation within their own limits." We are : also told that it is not unlikely that '' local

bodies will bo : invested with authority, should the government proposal*-, take effect, to levy a charitable aid rate, and if the localising of education expenditure is determined upon, a school rate. Some form of government subsidy would probably have to bo given in the case of country schools ; and in regard to the administration of charitable aid and hospitals in towns, it would seem that either some means must be taken to prevent destitute persons crowding in from othor districts to be supported atthe expense of the local community, or some other plan must be adopted of preventing an unfair burden frem being laid on the* townspeople."