The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 1868.

Dunstan Times, Issue 311, 10 April 1868, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 1868.

Beneath the Rule of Men entirety .test the pkn is mightier than the sword.

The doings of the Municipal Conferonce will doubtless be viewed with considerable interest by the residents of those Gold-fields' Townships, which have placed themselves under the operations of the new Municipal Act It must be. apparent to the most casual observer, that the functions of the country Municipalities might, with considerable advantage, be extended to the'C-utlying districts, say, for a radius of twelve or twenty mile-, or

such convenient distance as -would place the country under a complete sy.-teni of Municipal supervision. At present, the operations of these Municipalities are too much circumscribed, they having no jurisdiction beyond tire narrow limits of their respective Townships in which they have been formed. The great benefits conferred by Municipal Institutions on the Goldfields can scarce'y be'exager ated ; instead of undrained, dirty and unsightly looking Towns, we have well formed streets, offensive and unsightly matter has all been removed, and the comfort and conveniei ce of the public have been largely promoted. As a proof that a general confidence in Municipal institutions prevails, it is only necessary to cite the fact that, there have been scarcely any refusals to pay taxes ; there has instead been a cheerful compliance on the part of parties assessed, to contribute each, his proportion of the expenses of the Municipality, and from all quarters we find an unmistakable desire for local self government prevailing. The organizatiou of Municipalities is however very complicated, and also attended with considerable opense necessary to comply with the forms prescribed by 4 the Act, this, therefore suggests the necessity for an extension of the field of operations, and as Municipal Institutions have beecn so successsful, in a narrow and confined sphere with regard to the Townships, there appears to be no "good reasons, why their influences should not be extended into the country : the Municipalities might be also at the same time rendered self supporting, by the substitution of grants of land in lieu of a subsidy on taxes collected. The roads on the Gold-fields are in a very unsatisfactory condition, and the Roads and Works Department ap pear to be quite unable to grapple with the difficulty, its operations are carried on in a bungling and unsatisfactory mannner, giving no satisfaction to the public ; there is not that supervision and strict attention to detail, which would be the case, were the management of ths roads vested in persons locally interested, and there remains not the shadow of a doubt, but that by allowing the people the expending of their own money, they would lay it out to much better advantage than is now the case, where a vexatious and tedious round of cir, cumlocution and red tape has to be gone through, before the most insignificant work can be undertaken.