The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1876.

Dunstan Times, Issue 758, 27 October 1876, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1876.

Benea'k the rule'of men extip.kly just the pen is mightier than thduvr ord.

As wo thought, tho Counties’ Bill when it got into tho hands of the Legislative Council, would bo considerably pared down. Wo do hot lock upon this body as being sudh an ob struct!ve ono as many deem it to be. Tho Legislative Council, although a nominee body, may be said to fairly represent the Various interests of tho Colony, while it acts as a bulwark to rash legislation, and its uses were scarcely ever so much appreciated as during the present session of Parliament. In the matter of the Counties’ Bill we think the Clauses inserted Wythe Legislative Council that, the Chairman shall be elected by the Council itself, while that the said Chairman shall not be eligible to’ hold a seat m the House of Representatives very wise provisions, and which will prevent much confusion hereafter, and relieve the Colony from too great an infliction of meU of (lie professional politician, Although a Chairman of a County Council mav be elected by a large majority of tho votes of the ratepayers, it by no means follows that he represents their interests or even their wishes, while perhaps, excepting the most clamorous, a large majority of the electors would rather have seen' somebody else in his place. We all ’know what elections are, especially goldfields’ ones, and how very seldom the best man is returned. When a County Board has been elected, and we believe the same course should be adopted in regard to Municipal Corporations, by far the wisest course is to permit the newly elected incorporated body to provide their own Clwirtnan. It not only saves a vast amount of confusion and expense, but also secures the best man to fill the office ; it further will bring forward good men for the Council on tho knowledge that of their number the Chairman is to be chosen,and any body of men, however they may be constituted will always select the most able amongst them for tho leading position, and this is not the case in public elections, the voice of the people being Usually more in favor of men than measures;. Secondly, were it permitted that Chairmen of Cmihty Boards should be eligible for a seat in the House of Representatives, it must be very clear to everybody that that in almost all cases these offices would be filled bv one and the same person, in fact, the thing would become a regular trade, and the Colony placed at the mercy of every political adventurer, while at the kme time it would to a considerable extent bn a return to the old form of Provincialism, which after so ranch trouble has happily been abolished. We must say that we entirely approve of the action of the Council in inserting these two clauses, as being ono of the greatest blows ever de-Bt at political adventurers.- So far as limiting the borrowing powers of County Roards. it is highly necessary that some check should he placed upon them. It must be borne in mind that being newly constitute! bodies there would necessarily bo at first a- great deal of rash legislation, while aspiring members might delight to borrow purely’as a matter of experiment, or to carry out some pent up old scheme, the wisdom of which they never scaicelv contemplated. If wo are to take, -the doings of Municipal Corporations as a guide it is highly necessary in the interests of ratepayers flint them should be some limit to the borrowing powers of the County Roards, although we believe that the difficulty of borrowing will effectually regulate this, ft is to be hoped.however, that theectinn of the Legislative Council will be so far guided by discretion that anything in the shape of a dead lock will be prevented. It cannot of course be supposed that all which has passed through the House of Representatives will be permitted to pass the Council in its entirety the calm deliberation of this body is sure to fix upon some crude and illconsidered points, which in the interests of the Colony requiio amendment.