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Hokitika Guardian, 3 December 1923, Page 2

Bwkmuek Ist. which passed mi .Saturday was the anniversary of Westland’s provincial status. An interesting ac--1 emit of i lie rise or Westland 1 1 0111 the

te»e.ii.«h 'lines j{„, cold rush days I i the more sedate period in its history when the district took up the task of self-goveriimenl, and became a luilliedged Province, i.s recounted in Mr .V. J. Hnrrop’s work on the early liisInly nf Westland. In those far-off days the community was keen about its inti rual government, and feeling a degree id' neglect hum Canterbury, under which this part of the Coast became a. separate Province. History was made fairly fast in those times, and Westland's existence as a completely governed province was short lived. But within the period of provincial government, the whole machinery of the law was put in motion, and with its statute-making privileges, tin* Provincial Council of West laud, guided by a. .Superintendent resident in Government, House, Hokitika, Iho new body was all important. But the glory soon passed, and provineiui (levs became scon but a memory. Perhaps that is why the anniversary of the day is legarded with such, little public notice.

Tim pr inciple of provincial government., however, had benefits which are not readily forgotten. Front time to time wo hear talk of the reform of local government with a view to reducing the multiplicity of local bodies, and the saving of much overlapping expenditure. The late Mr Seddon was a member of tho Provincial Council, and had an insight into the application of provincialism applied to the general form •of local government. On the occasion of Mr Soddou’s last trip south, anil when opening the Waitaha river bridge, lie refei red to the subject. and hinted that, he had it in mind to apply the principle of provincial government again in a modified manner to the Coast, ns an experiment for the rest of New Zealand, and a.s a guide to grapple with tho plethora of local bodies necessary under the present system to •'inn” a district, or community. Ilia idea was to establish one local governing body, taking power to deal with all internal affaiis, and had Mr ,Seddon met Parliament in 1906, it, is almost certain a measure to that effect would have been brought down. Hut the Fates willed otherwise, and so the system as we have it to-day still prevails, though threatened so dangerously nearly eighteen yea's ago. Wksti.and became a province on December Ist.. 1873, tlie first and only Supesintendonfebeing the late. Hon. James A. Boi.ar. jHovincos throughout New Zealand were dissolved in 1876. It was the intention of the late Mr Seddon to recreate a Provincial Council for Westland, but not to grant legislative powers. Its work would be administrative. covering boroughs, county, hospitals. harbors, etc., all in one body. Ibis was prvpo-ed to be an experimental form of local government on which according to the experience, general provision was to lx' modelled for the rest of New Zealand. It would not have been the first time that "Westland war the experimental ground for local government, as in 1868, a County of Westland was created as a provisional and temporary step leading up as it did subsequently in 1870 to the form of county government, then introduced, ant. which we have to this day. with very little modification of the first plan. Local government is of the greatest importance to the people, but of recent times we hear very little demand for so-called “reform.” Tt is evidently being administered fairly well all through the Dominion, otherwise with so great an area affected, there

would boar. outcry rai.s&u if the ad- | ministration were rot giving the. sat- 1 isfaction expected cf it.