ADVANTAGES OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume I, Issue 48, 29 May 1862, Page 5 (Supplement)

ADVANTAGES OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERN-MENT.

(From the Ee/son Examiner, May 1.) Nothing is easier than to pick holes in the coat of a neighbor. We all of us can readily see the faults of another, because we are fond of looking at them through a medium of wonderful magnifying power ; but upon our own shortcomings we invert the glass, and try to render them as indistinct as possible, When the political separation ol Hawke's Hay from Wellington, Marlborough from Nelson, and Southland from Otago took place, it became the fashion of those who disapproved of the New Provinces Act to watch with a jealous eye, the conduct of the three young communities who had secured for themselves the privilege of administering their own affairs, and, whenever inexperience or indiscretion led either of them to make a mistake, its result was seized on and held up as a proof that the community was unequal to the task of self-government. If one of the newly formed Councils became the scene of party warfare, a lecture was read us on the sad consequences which arose from splitting up such communities into hostile factions ; and if, following the example of all the original provinces, a younger sister got into debt, her improvidence was really most reprehensible. The Province of Hawke appears to be specially watched over by the press of Wellington, which also casts its eye occasionally across Cook Strait to see what is going on in Marlborough ; and, from the comments passed upon the acts of these young provinces, one might suppose that they were the solo exceptions to the political serenity o'f the colony. The division that has been made in the Provinces of Wellington, Nelson, and Otago, although loudly called for by the vice of the system which gave to political centres the power of disposing of the public lands in remote districts (of which they generally knew little, and cared for less), and of spending the proceeds of the sales in their own neighborhood, thereby leaving the land which furnished the money destitute of roads and everything that could give it value, is a picture, we admit, that has also its dark side. Multiplying Provincial Government, multiplies also expenses, and makes local government a very costly business. But are we not too apt to look at sum totals of expense, and to pay too little regard to the circumstances which may have rendered such expense necessary ? The cheapest Government for us would be a nominee Council as of old, sitting at Auckland or Wellington, presided over by the G overnor, and ruling the whole colony ; but we willingly compound for the additional cost of Provincial Government, from the satisfaction we derive in spending our money after our owm hearts and upon our owo requirements, rather than see it carried away to be spent at the seat of Government. Under the former state of our affairs, the half-yearly visits of the colonial brig were made to the distant settlements of the colony chiefly for the purpose of emptying their public chests' and carrying off all the revenue to Auckland. To got a small grant of money for any public purpose in so distant a settlement as Nelson, a most humble address had to be made to the Governor and his Council, and very unreasonable were these requests sometimes considered, even though for so small a matter as the appointment of an additional constable. On one occasion a member of the Executive met this very request by the remark, that he “ did not see what necessity there could be for an additional constable in Nelson, while there was a constabulary force in Wellington,” evidently supposing the service of the latter could be made available in Nelson, if required. However costly Provincial Government may be, there are few who would exchange it for a Central Government, if they knew what Central Government in New Zealand meant. In the one case the cost of administering our affairs is voted by Councils locally elected, and the balance of revenue is expended on local works; in the other, the whole control of our aftairs would be chiefly in the hands of men who had little knowledge of, or sympathy with us, and who would spend our money after their fashion and not ours ; who, in fact, having presented us with the shells, would reserve the oyster for their own enjoyment.

Tsut is it not singular, that while many of our public men, amongst whom we may mention the .Superintendents of Wellington ami Nelson, who were most clamorous for local Government when local Government meant putting into the hands of Wellington and Nelson the direction of their own respective affairs, should be so angry with Hawke s Bay and Wairau for having acquired the like privilege. The arguments used by Dr. Featherston and Mr. Robinson against separation, are precisely those which were formerly used by a party in Auckland agaiust Provincial Government of any kind, Wellington and Nelson being t hen simply regarded as places from which so much money could annually be extracted by Auckland; and just in this light were Hawke’s Bay and Wairau looked upon by Wellington and Nelson, when they had themselves become possessed of power. The churchman who was asked to define orthodoxy and heterodoxy, replied, that orthodoxy was h'is doxy, and heterodoxy another man’s doxy ; and so with some of our champions of liberal Government, that Government only is liberal, which suits their individual tastes and interests. \ et we have at times heard a desire expressed to see Provincial Governments abolished, and the Colony ruled by a strong Central Government. This is one of those thoughtless remarks which people sometimes make, not considering what they are saying ; yet, if such a thing were proposed to them in sober seriousness they would not entertain it for a moment. Of the same character is the wish, we have occasionally heard stated, that Marlborough should be reauuexed to Nelson. No doubt some unwise things have been done by the Government of Marlborough, and some wise things left undone, but no man can say that, in spite of all this, separation, up to the present time, has not been a great gain to the district. The Government of the Province has cost a good round sum, hut a very much larger sum has been expended on public works. Some of these may be of no great utility at the present moment, or, at least were not so urgently needed as others which have had to stand over tor a future day, but some which have been executed are of great and undoubted importance. It is not BO months since Marlborough was constituted a province, and the public works executed there within that time, make up a list quite sufficient to stop all cavil at separation. A bridge, 200 feet long and 35 feet above the orclidary level of the river, spans the Pelorus, and is one of the most striking structures in the colony; a new bridge, to replace the one swept away by a flood, crosses the Tinline; an excellent bridge‘has been thrown over the Tua-Marina : bridges are in course of construction over both the rivers Omaka and Opavva ; and a ferry, capable of transporting a dray and eight bullocks, has been established over the Wairau river. On the Picton road several thousands of pounds have been expended to render it fit for heavy traffic, but more will yet be required to accomplish what is needed, owing to the radical faults of its original construction. From the Wairau ferry a road has been formed to Blenheim which, however will require to be metalled ; and from Blenheim a good road has been made across the swamp to the mouth of Taylor valley and thence through the Tailor Pass to the Shearing Reserve, in the Awatere, a distance of thirtylive miles. Portions of this road had been partially made by the Nelson Government, but, stinted for funds, and with no proper supervision, the little that had been done was done badly, whereas now there is a good dray road the whole distance. A trunk road, formed from Blenheim through the flax swamp leading up the Plain had better been left undone, since the floods which have swept over the whole of the lower portions of the Plain during the last year, through the overflow of the AV airau into the Opawa, have cut up this road fearfully, and converted the ditches or either side of it into little canals ; but higher up the valley, in the Narrows, and up the Waihopai, the traffic has been greatly improved. From the foot of Massacre-hill crossing the Tua-Marina bridge, a good bridle-road has been made up the north bank of the Wairau as high as the mouth of the Waihopai, and a bridle-road is in course of construction from Picton to Havelock, to give a direct communication with Nelson. On the coast, below Flaxbourne, the road which was formerly both difficult and dangerous, has been greatly improved and rcndei'ed safe to the southern boundary of the province, and a ferry has been established over that most dangerous river, the Clarence. Of buildings we must first notice the Government Offices at Picton, which afford larger accommodation than any province in New Zealand ever before enjoyed at so early a period of its history. It is a plain and commodious structure, and has a bold and not ineligant appearance. The gaol, also erected at Picton, is a striking contrast to the disgraceful abomination which, for several years, bore the name of a gaol in Nelson, and for the erection of which the Government at Auckland generously authorized and expenditure of £7O. The Picton gaol is a good and serviceable building, the wharf at Picton is one of the best in the colony. Its extreme length is 337 feet, shaped somewhat like an hour-glass, the base being solid earthwork, is 146 feet deep, and upon this has been erected a remarkably good warehouse capable of storing nearly 900 tons of goods. The depth of water at the end of the wharf is seventeen feet six inches at low water spring tides, and a vessel of 1,000 tons burthen might lie there, while, on cither side, there is a berth for a ship of 500 tons, and ample accommodation for vessels of smaller size. At the ferry-house on the Wairau, another lias been erected capable of containing 200 bales of wool; and, in addition to all these works, a dam is in course of construction to stop the overflow of the Wairau river into the Opawa, which will cost £6,000, or possibly a larger sum. Whatever some persons may think of the separation of Wairau from Nelson, the young province is able to show, as the result of it, a lai’ge credit of goin, independently of the advantage of having its affairs locally administered. On the debit side thc-re is, it is true, a set-off, but the balance is decidedly in favour of local self-government.