MORE GOVERNMENTAL CONTROL.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 106, 21 May 1937, Page 4

MORE GOVERNMENTAL CONTROL.

As was the case with. the Havelock North Town Board a few days ago, the Hastings Borongh. Council last evening had occasion to discuss the Government 's movement to take into its own hands the control of taxi and carrier services within borough boundaries. As reported elsewhere to-day, the positioh, was outlined with quite sufficient "clearness by the Mayor. As indicated by him, while the regulation of these services will be taken out of the Council 's hands and placed in those otf a Government department, the incidental cost of providing facilities for the conduct of these services will still fall upon the shoulders of the Borongh ratepayers, the Government appropriating the fees hitherto collected by the Council as part of its revenue. Mr. Maddison also foresees that the Government's plans will go still further with regard to other licensing authority, and again with the result of depriving the Borough of another, but much bigger, source of revenue wherewith to meet its many obligations. This revenue aspect is, of course, not by any meaus uegligible, having regard to the many new burdens that are being laid' upon. the taxpayers and ratepayers of the country. At the same time, there is a still more significant and important view to be taken of the movement. To all intelligent minds there wil lbe seen in it only another step towards bringing under direct governmental control and direction the whole of the industrial and business activiites of the country — in short, the "socialisation of all means of production, distribution and exchange,' ' which is the declared aim of our present Government. Only those who are closely watching the daily movements towards this goal can xealise how far the Government has afready gone towards that end and towards preparing the way for its final achievement. That it is never lost sight of is to be seen in all this appiarent craze for "regulating" our lives for us and crushing out individual initiative, especially among the smaller but still enterprising folk. There is a set method in this seeming madness. As Mr. Maddison has pointed out, there can be no possible question as to the Council being the authority best qualified to regulate these purely local services, nor can the Government have any purpose in view other than that we have indicated.