The Chronicle. PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1912. ANOTHER "STUDHOLME TEST."

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 May 1912, Page 2

The Chronicle. PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1912. ANOTHER "STUDHOLME TEST."

TiiEiustiite fiiniiur who dcvisixl "the iStiidholmi! le.st' , l'oi , jimijtry, when lu , . did so plaerd liis \\\h>\\ a liolpl'ul factor for fanners. .It is really oik; of the matters of a|ipiiroiitly obvious Juiturc, this tetiiinjj; of lu'ii.s by weijrlit of utility points, show points, and rallies of products: but tho fact that it was left for Mr Stiidholine to institute such a test seems to prove that it wa« less ohv'ions than it wins now. Keen perception and accurate judgment «r<> parts of tinmental attitude which resulted in this test lioinjj; <Wis<><l. Therefore it Rooms hut natural that a mind such as Mr Stmlholme possesses .should illuiiiinatc otlier iieldts of <>nperiinont. Proof nf this wa,s affntxl- ('(] in Wellington on AVedne.sday of this week, when Mr .Studholme di<livored wiuit uiidouhtedly lias been the most illuminating speecli lienrd ho far at the Now Zealand C'oiilVrotico of Local Bodies Delegates to enn.sider the F-oc'il Govi-nimont Hill. This liill lias lieon kicked so linrd in most quarters, and "clnmncd with faint praise" in others, that some observer* have been driven to ac-

quiescence in the sentiments expressed by Mr HindmarKli, M.P. for Wellington South, and political jaek-in-Iho-box. fie illustrates his right to the hitter by 'bobbing up irresistibly and refusing to be put down by anything abort of forcebut this is by the way. Mr Hindmarsh told the conference — aptly, it seems to us—that the comparative unanimity with which the Local Government Bill was being decried showed that in some quiartei*; it was objectionable merely because of its sponsors. Had Mr Mnssoy brought it down it would have been hailed as a set of Kiatesmanlike proposals, be said. No doubt lie would" have said a lot more bad not the chairman of the conference forced him "into his box" at this stage by calling upon him to discuss the bill itfiolf and not the matter of its sponTo revert to "the S'tudholine test": ifc was on the point of finance that Mr .Stiidholme proved his abilities to lead. There had been much discussion anJ condemnation of the financial aspects of the bill at the conference, and objection wa* raised that "no assured finance" could be got under the bill. Mr Studholme controverted iTiis, in memorable J words: "I say that the bill does give assured finance; it says 'Here is what you will get; work out your own salvation, and don't como crawling to the Government for more money.' " Elaborating his subject, be said there was urgent need for local government reform, and stated that to-day the local bodies were rendered more or lees ineffective through unnecessary multiplicity and want of cohesion. At the present time they were una'ble to give the necessary balance between local and central government—they were unable to act as a sufficient counterpoise to the tendency to centralise things in Wellington, The Bill Bought to remedy many of the existing defects and to wipe out the excess of local bodies that existed today. A great deal of work was badly done- .because many of the local bodies could not afford to pay expert officers. He described the, present system of subsidies as the most wasteful and extravagant and demoralising that conld possibly be devised. There were no words in the English language adequate to desoribo it. , If tlie conference did

nothing more, thau suggest a departure in this respect it would justify its existence. It should be made a criminal offence for tho Minister of internal Affairs to continue the present system of promiscuous giants. As to finance, it was said that the Bill did not provide assured finance. "What was assured finance ? Assured finance did not mean lavish finance or generous finance. All the local bodies required was a knowledge of what they could expect from tho Government. The Bill gave assured finance. He held that the Provincial Councils proposed were adequate for the work which would be entrusted to them. Ho also claimed that they would thoroughly and adequately administer education and hospital and charitable aid. The fact that education was within their jurisdiction would increase interest in this important subject. He held that education should bo included in the scope of the Bill. As far as tho franchise was concerned, he thought the proposals in the Bill should be eliminated. Probably the solution would be this: that the residential franchise should boar the same proportion to tho ratepayers' franchise as Government subsidies in each county did to the ivifcs collceted.( Laughter and applause).