The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, 7th SEPTEMBER, 1866

Dunstan Times, Issue 228, 7 September 1866, Page 2

The Dunstan Times

FRIDAY, 7th SEPTEMBER, 1866

'Beneath the rule of men entirely just, l!: i'rn is MioiiTiHii than tlie awoim!"

Mr Post-Master-General Hall's obstructions to the passing of the (>tago Municipal Corporation's Amendment Act, will earn for that gentleman an unenviable notoriety amongst those interested in the success of the newly formed municipalities. That gentleman must be possessed with very crude ideas respecting local self-govern-ment, when he proposes the repeal of the forty-first clause, which makes all fees, penalties, and fines. under " The Town and County Police Ordinance" also "The Municipal Corporation's Empowering Act,'' payable to the Corporation. Is it not enough for the General Government to deprive us of our accustomed share of the Custom's l!c----venue without seeking to appropriate the fees and lines locally obtained. Has the General-Gov-ernment discovered that the establishment of the new mhr.iei palities is too-advanced a step for the Colony to make, or is the

Treasury in such a state of impe-1 caniosity, that money must be t obtained from any source whatever, ■* even at the expense of forfeiting < public confidence. Without a re- i venue, in addition to that derived 1 from the Rates the newly-formed municipalities will find it difficult ' to preserve an existence. Local ' improvements must be made, and i money must come in from some- i where to make them. In Victoria, the municipalities receive a much larger proportion ; of the revenues locally derived than is allowed by our Corporation's Act. In that colony, local self government has been found to, not only advance the settlement of the country, but to be a saving to the , country at large —money is spent where it is obtained—each district ; has the disbursing of its own revenues, and as it advances in population, so its ability to make im- ' provements increases. The General Revenue may, in the abslracr, appear less, but in the aggregate it is more, as the local boiies keep a sharp look out after what is their due, while demands are nol made upon the (ren r.ti luveime, which wouid.be he use were the local] bodies ii(i r in existeiicv. 'ihei country ih also better and miav cheaply governed, while very one is better satisfied by having the spending of his own money. The people of our municipal towns must be up and doing, and through their representatives, insist upon having what is legally theirs. The formation of the new municipalities must be considered as one of the most important steps we have yet made in local selfgovernment, and a step that will lead to many future advantages.