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Hokitika Guardian, 11 January 1923, Page 2

Tin-; County Council appears to have its quiver lull ol trouble just now. As d tile main road incubus io lie loisted on tne local body is not sufficient,, the Council has also to light for its rights in regard to revenue front timber royalties. Revenue trom ihe source indicated was assured by the local bodies under legislation passed some thirty years agox. By that legislation the accrued amount in all cases other than from Midland Railway reservation land was divided between the Crown and the local body of the district whence the revenue accrued. With the establishment of the Forestry Department and the setting apart of areas of timber country for State forests or provisional State Forests, the revenue accruing was lost to the local bodies and no substituted source* of revenue has been given in its place, ft is the practice of the general government when one source of revenue fails to substitute another, and in this instance, it would be only fair if the Government heated an impoverished local body in the same way. Perhaps the rating of State Forests nro3s and provisional areas would be an equitable way of meeting the demands of the local bodies; or a- was done lately in a North Island instance, a portion of rite royalties revenue recoiled lyi the Forestry Department was ear-marked for Flic local body which had to maintain the traffic of the sawn timber from the State forest area. Tt is manifest- something should he done, and the Government lias promised to do something, hut it is still procrastinating. The affairs of the local body are now approaching a crisis and the mtter can hardly be deferred longer. For years the subject lias been before the Government which has failed to deal equitably with t*’e local bodies for all the Coast bodies where there are timber belts, are in the same ne-

glected Position. ’The Councils are Ip-* f,— rbejs pmftrl dp.

i fence, and it is to tie hoped that the combined step about to be taken will lead up to a satisfactory solution of a matter which is of the highest importance to the ratepayers’ of the different countiy districts.

In consiUeiiiig tne Borough loan pru-pos-ds, Hie ratepayers Who will be c.d.-

eu Upon to vote on the question next | week, might well view the mutter ill relation to the ultimate pr-.giess of t..e town, the works proposed are in the main not tor to-day or to-morrow, but aie to seive also the future. That is, ; they are in the nature of permanent I works, ami for that reason any charge j to the ratepayers will be spread over | a term tturing which those who come after will hate to share in the burden. 1 while at the same time leeching some

benefit flout the works. In the valiums works earmarked there ate different undertakings which in the past it lias been the policy of the Borough Council to do out of annual revenue. That was not a lair policy to ( the town, lor it lessened tin* sum available for ordinary maintenance work and the roads, stieets and footpaths are showing the neglect in consequence. The town can atford to help itself now oi a larger wav than it lias attempted hitherto to do.' There are 1 u tew ns in Sew Zealand of the size and position of Hokitika, which has so prosperous an outlook ahead of it. The town lias never enjoyed since tlm very early days v lia( might lie e. 11 i <I - eied boom times. Progress lias been ol an evi o tenor ami y I ihe town is well-built and then* aie fen. if nnv empty houses. Budding. of late has been of a very sat isfaigory volume, in dieating confidence in the future. This year we are looking forward more hopefully than ever t*i ihe immcdiai future, because of .he railway connection with the East Coast system putting an end to our isolation.. Tfnkitika most enjoy something of special fillip from the epoch-making event, and will lie the hot ler able to moot its civic charges for tin* upkeep of the town. It is tlm loo'o-t municipal spirit which fails to take sonic pride ■* town's outward appearance and tlm people of Hokitika will not he living in* to then reputation if the opportunity next week to mould a progressive municipal policy is not seized with both hands and ihe Council gives every encouragement to go head on lines ton long neglected . The support of the loan proposals is essential for the general welfare of the town and ilm poonlo will he failing in a duty to thmselves it they do not encourage The Council to go forward with a progressive poli< v worthy the town and it-- pi'ijs-pc-f-t s.