THE GLOBE.D SATURDAY, SEPTEMER 17, 1881. THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2326, 17 September 1881, Page 2

THE GLOBE.D SATURDAY, SEPTEMER 17, 1881. THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS.

Amongst the Bills consigned, for the present at least, to the tomb of the capnlots, is one which will be deeply regretted. The Bill to which we allude is that refering to Hospitals and Charitable Aid, towards which with longing eyes the citizens have been for some time looking. The passing of some such measure, having for its object the placing of the matter of charitable aid and maintenance of hospitals upon a sound and satisfactory basis, is a positive and pressing necessity. At present the local bodies pay the piper, but only nominally have any control over the expenditure of their own money. The position is this—that the Government pay out of the public revenues such sums as may be passed by the Board, and meet with their approval. The Government, be it observed, retain in their own hands the general control over the actions ef the Board, who, though they are supposed to represent the various local bodies, are yet under the authority of the Government, and responsible not to those in whoso interests they are members. Nay more, the local bodies do not oven have a voice in their selection. They are to all intents and purposes Government nominees. Now, this would perhaps be right if the money to be expended were general revenue and voted like other sums by Parliament each session. In that case the Government would bo responsible, and therefore should have the right to appoint those who have to dispense it. But this is not so. The money, it is true, is paid by the Government in the first instance, but has been carefully deducted from the subsidies payable to the various local bodies. Of course now subsidies are thing of the past, the Government will have to make a sort of levy for the current expenditure this year, seeing that the Bill has not passed. But we think we have said quite enough to show that it is highly necessary a change

should be made. The local bodies interested ought to have the control of the expenditure unfettered by the continual references to Government. Now if the Board wish to make on appointment of Cook at one of the institutions under their control they have to recommend it to Wellington. Again, the representatives at the Board should be elected by the people. The people are the paymasters ; it is out of their pockets that the money has to come, and they have, therefore, a right to demand that they shall select the men to whoso care the administration of affairs shall bo committed. This is the direction in which legislation is necessary', and it is therefore with great regret that we find the Bill, which in some measure at least remedied the evils wo have referred to, has had to ho dropped. If re-introduced next session wo trust to see it contain provisions in the direction we have pointed out. However, anything would be better than the anomalous and and unsatisfactory stato of things which at present exists. THE PROPOSED MARKET. The advent to tho City Council of what is popularly known as “ new blood ” seems to us an opportune time to onco more bring under the notice of that body the necessity that exists for a permanent market here. At present the stato of affairs is that tho consideration of this question has been relegated to a committee of the Council. They have taken some time to think tho matter over, but no result has yet boon made public. We now, at tho risk of Leiug considered importunate, desire to urge onco more upon the members of the City Council the desirableness of sweeping away the present unsightly mass of sheds erected in the Market Place, and replacing them with a building which will be a credit alike to the city and tho site. Wo apprehend that not the slightest difficulty will ha found as regards the financial part of the matter. ludeed, without going abstrusely into figures, wo are confident that the result of the erection of a building, such as we should like to see put up, would be a revenue to tho city. Buildings of an ornamental character are being erected by onr private citizens, and yet tho City Council, which should bo tho leaders in matters of this kind where the ornamentation and beautifying of tho city is concerned, are the ones to perpetuate in our midst a wretched assemblage of shanties. No more favorable time than the present, when money is abundant and cheap, could bo selected for carrying out this project, and we hope tho Council will not allow any further delay to take place. Both from a revenue point of view, and also as tending greatly to the improvement of the city, the proposal for tho erection of a permanent market must commend itself alike to the Council and the ratepayers generally, and no difficulty, so far as we can see, presents itself in tho way of a practical accomplishment of the idea.