THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 1871.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 850, 18 April 1871, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 1871.

The recent disclosures with regard to the management of the Paroa Road Board have betrayed such an amount of neglect of the most ordinary business considerations as to lead us to enquire how that portion of the Constitution of Westland which provides for such institutions has worked, and whether the Road Boards have, as a body, fulfilled the functions with which they were invested. In our remarks upon this subject we are not actuated by any feeling of contempt for these bodies. We have always hitherto advocated their being allowed the fullest share in the local government of the country, but whilst doing so we have not been blind to the knowledge that they have not exercised their powers in the proper manner or fulfilled the conditions under which they were formed and under which they were expected to carry out their functions. The system of local self-government is based upon the principle that local bodies should have the control over the expenditure of local taxation. The advantages supposed to be obtained by the adoption of this principle are — the 1 benefit of local knowledge and supervision, and, most important of all, the responsibility with regard to their local taxation which the expenditure of local rates imposes, and the economy which should naturally result. It was never intended that the Road Boards should simply be the machinery for expending the general taxation of the country. They were created for the purpose of supplying minor local wants by means of local taxation. They are, in point of fact, rural Corporations charged with the duties of supervising certain things, doing certain works and levying local rates. The provision in the County of Westland Act for handing over to the Road Boards a portion of the revenues of the Coxmty is simply intended in the light of a subsidy or bonus to those bodies — an encouragement to their local efforta. Elsewhere— in Otago, in Canterbury, Auckland, and other Provinces — the Road Boards receive a subsidy in proportion to the amount of local taxation they impose. In Otago the Road Uoards received two pounds for every pound they raised, but now, we believe, the proportion is reduced, and a Bimilar arrangement obtains in othev Provinces. | But in Westland the Road Boards have i entirely misunderstood their position. The surplus revenue which they received at first, imbued them with the idea that they had nothing to do but receive the revenue which they did not raise, and spend it as they thought best. Some of the Boards absolutely refused to resort to local taxation, although the greater part of the County of Westland Act consists of sections conferring rating powers, and

provides the means and mode of recovery. Others were only driven to local rating through their undertaking works which the moiety from the County revenue did not cover. Whenever the shoe ceased to pinch and contributions could be had from other sources, the pressure and responsibility of local taxation ceased, and the Boards did as other persons do who are spending money which they had not to work for — carelessly and improvidently. Local self-government means Local taxation — and a Road Board or Municipal Corporation without local rating is simply an example of local government emasculated. Just look at the career of the Paroa Road Board. Is it likely or possible that if that body had simply had to depend upon its proper revenue from local rates it would have pursued the wasteful disgracefully careless course it has done ? Would it have maintained an unnecessary Secretary for over a year when they not only had no work to do but no money to pay his salary? Would they have entrusted their financial affairs to irresponsible hands ? Would they have permitted their rates to accumulate in arrear to the amount they have done, and allow themselves to be dunned on every hand ? If the present Board might have done all these things the ratepayers would certainly have put a stop to them, but when the Board kindly allows old rates to stand over, and avoids imposing new ones, of course it is nobody's business how any other money the Board may possess may be disposed of. The grant by the General Assembly to the Road Boards of the Colony was never intended to relieve them in the slightest degree of their responsibilities. It was made as a means of encouragement only — an inducement for them to exercise their proper powers to the fullest extent. TheGovernmentcouldnever have expected for a moment, for instance, that the money recently paid to the Paroa Road Board would be devoured by old liabilities, and especially by the arrears of salary to an unnecessary officer. And we would strongly urge upon the County Chairman the desirability of proposing to the Govervment that the grants to the Road Boards in Westland shall be made only on the same condition as those which have been applied in other Provinces — namely, as a subsidy p'o rata to the amount raised by local taxation. If the Road Boards refuse to exercise their rating powers, then let them be abolished altogether, and confer the power of taxation upon the County Council. If they, on the other hand, base ' their actions upon the responsibility created by local taxation, then encourage them liberally. But it is preposterous to hand over money, which has cost no trouble to obtain, to those who receive it, and have the natural consequence of careless and reckless expenditure. We trust that no more money will be handed to the Road Boards of Westland except in proportion to the amount of their local revenue.