The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 1877.

Dunstan Times, Issue 777, 9 March 1877, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 1877.

Beneath the rule of men entirely just the pen is mightier than the sword.

Now that the County system may be fairly said to have been inaugurated, we really do not see that it is going to cost ns so much move for this principle of local self-government than under tlie old regime of Provincialism. It may he perhaps true that the salaries of the collective number of the County officers, in what was once the Province of Otago, calculated as a whole amount to more than what appeared to be the total cost of the Provincial administration; but did this sura represent what it was said to do 1 we answer most emphatically in the negative. By the svstem of the details of Provincial Government the real costs of Government were enormously higher than they appeared to he, as the salaries of officers in the subordinate departments were charged upon the works, and did not appear in the annual estimates of expenditure as salaries We have one notable instance of this in the working of the Road Department. For instance, take I lie expenditure'of the officers’ quarters at Cromwell, their horses, travelling cxpences and servants, and contrast it with the salary of our present Engineer and Inspector who, for 1,400 per annum does the work which must have previously cost LIOOO. It certainly looks a large sum for the County to pay when taken as a lump, but there is nothing coming afterwards, and. without the advantages of scientific assistance we question whether Mr M‘George’s salary really amounts to as much as was paid to various overseers and understrappers whose labors were entirely unproductive, and who really did nothing but look after others. The next and most important matter is the let f iw ont of all constructive works and repairs 1o mads by contract; this, as shown by results in this and the adjoining County of the Lakes can be done for I one-half the amount previously paid, 1 thus effertingan almost unprecedented saving, out of which the salaries of the Chairman, Clerk, and other officers are

only a small proportion ; let alone the fact that wo shall have one road works bettor performed, and a much more strict supervision kept up than hitherto. So far as the County system has gone tliete is really nothing which can ho said against it, although there are some persons who will find thomRelves called upon to pay taxes who previously escaped payment, or weie not taxed at all. ft must have been very clear, even to the most unobservant, that had Provincialism existed occupiers of land and household property in the up-country districts outside of Municipalities, would be called upon to contribute their share to the revenue expended upon roads and other local works. The exigencies o? the Colony, when the public loans were expended and we were called upon to pay interest upon them, would demand an increase of taxation,-and some selfsacrifice must be made in consequence. We are now faii-ly launched upon the new system, which promises well, and we have the experiences of Victoria that it will be our own faults if it is not exactly suited toouv wants.