The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “The West Coast Times.” MONDAY, MARCH 7th, 1921. SUBSTANCE AND SHADOW.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 March 1921, Page 2

The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “The West Coast Times.” MONDAY, MARCH 7th, 1921. SUBSTANCE AND SHADOW.

S'iikn the representatives of the local odies conferred at llreymouth last eek in regard to the timber royalties uestion, it was made very plain that le action of the authorities was the outcome of the need for self-preserva-tion. The legislature in its wisdom in the past placed upon the l shoulders of local bodies certain revenues from the natural product within the County area to wit, in this instance milling timber on Crown Lands—-was placed at the disposal of the local bodies. The revenue which thus accrues to local bodies is ear-marked specifically for road upkeep. This is very proper, as in the I carrying out of the industry the roads arc' a great factor in the expansion of the sawmilling industry, and aro used very generally to bring the commodity to market and afterwards to distribute it to consumers. It is an equitable adjustment, therefore, that the revenue should continue part and parcel of tile local body income. Originally it was proposed that the whole of the revenue

should go to tli<» local body, but durin tlii‘ passage of the measure providin for tbe revenue through I’arliaineii I lio (|iiota ;a\=! 1 lo tbe local body wn lixed at ouc-!ialf or 50 per cent, of th amount collected. This was in itse a departure from what had prevaile previously where local body district produced income from nature source? For instance under the gold duty, th local bodies received the whole of th levy payable by the producer for tin product obtained within the Count; area. To this day. the local body re eoivos the whole of the gold-fields re venue which is derived from gold min ing within the area. So with Crowi Lands rating, the whole of the amount payable went to the local body—that is, a locality received the benefit of revenue from territory within its sources. Now, hitherto, sawmilling rights were isually dealt with by the Warden’s Jourt, just as goldfields revenue derival from that source was paid in full to die local body, so milling revenue Itould have been dealt with. In sonic espects the local bodies have claimed uccessfully "that this is so, and have ad a refund of moneys, admittedly eld back illegally, but in the main the aval tics are levied under the Land et, and it was through this medium mt the half was allocated to the : rown and half to the local body. Wcstnd is so stored with timber resources, mt it. is well-known the local body oked upon the yield of timber as a ■rinanent source of local income for 1 time, ft can he well understood ere fore that when the Forestry I)e-

' partment was set up, and proceeded to take eonrol of all forest lands within tli o County, the local body would be alarmed as to its position. Although the Forestry Department has been in existence now for a. long time, nothing definite as to what is to be done tor the local bodies is forthcoming—except the alarming indication that there is to be a reduction rather than an increase lx of revenue. The position is that the heritage of the local body is to disap- . pear and the latter is to become beholden to the generosity of the Alinistry as to what is to be done. The substance is to disappear, and something shadowy will take its place. When Sir Francis Bell was here last year and ho met the local bodies in conference, the most which could he got . out of him was that the local body 11 claims would be dealt with later. They are still undealt with. There is a tentative proposal that the local bodies are to get 20 per cent, of tho net. From half of the whole they are to get 011cfifth of the net revenue—“the net ro- . venue” being a very doubtful quantity at this stage with an expensive l)e- ---, partment being set up. Under such an allocation the substance would go altogether, and a very shadowy return would take its place. It is manifest it would not be good finance for the local £ body. As it is now the local ’body knows where it is, and can' obtain its proportion in quarterly payments with ~ regularity. Under the amended proposal, the “net revenue” would not be ascertainable, except over a. very exI tended period. Local body finance would be*disorganised. It is usually stringent enough as it. is, but under the regime of the Forestry Department it threatens to he more stringent still. The forest of Westland instead of being an . asset of the place is to become an asset of the Dominion as a whole—so far as revenue is concerned. It is all very well to say that the timber belongs to 1 tho people as a whole— it sounds line and large—but we do not apply that rule to the land. The land is more enduring than timber, yet the freehold may be acquired and the land pass from tho Crown and the people to the individual. For where it. is still Crown lands, does the revenue from the land he spread over all the Dominion equally. Thirds of land payiunts. which are on all fours with timber royalty payments, go to the district, wherein the land is situated. A district gets the benefit of its good rich lands, yet Westland is to he deprived of the benefit of its rich timber country and four-fifths of its yielding revenue is to go to the (lovornment. A palpable ini justice is being done by smfi a policy. A local body should have the benefit of its natural resources. The great wealth of timber hereabouts, has in tho past, retarded settlement. If we were a plain country like Canterbury, settlement would have spread up and down the Coast rapidly. Being so heavily timbered there is a bar to settlement, and the district has been held up accordingly, waiting for such a time as tho present when there would he a. demand for our natural product, and ■ facilities to readily export it. Other districts did what they wished with their timber. Many parts in reckless baste to clear their territory, burned off the, hush by the hundred thousand a,, re, and got a quick regular return from their land. Now there is a demand to levy on Westland, at the expense of such places, to provide timber and to maintain an expensive Department to carry on forestry for the benefit of all. There is no equality of sacrifice about this procedure. Westland, as so often occurs, is being treated again as ,tlie Cinderella of the provincial fain- | il.v .and is being treated just as the will of the powers feel disposed. It seems almost dear that the substance of the revenue is to go, and a very shad- ( owy remnant will remain.