The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1927 GOVERNMENT BY COMMISSION.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 November 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1927 GOVERNMENT BY COMMISSION.

An unusual .spectacle is presented in Sydney where the local government <>i the great city is passing into the hands of a Commission set up by the Aio» South Wales Government. When Air Jsuvin as the leader of the Opposition, went before the people lately at the general election for the Mtate Parliament which led to the overthrow of the Lang Government, Mr Bavin made it a plank of his policy to wipe City Council and substitute a Commission to set the civic house in order, it .seemed a desperate course to attempt, and a dangerous one, too, seeing that there was the intention o' undermining democratic control in local affairs. But Mr Bavin won the election—with the help of the Country Party and the composite Government has lost no time in fulfilling its pledge. The Civic Government elected by the people is to be supplanted for a.period by a Commission being set up by the Government to place the municipal affairs of Sydney in order. In any community which accepts democratic principles, or is familiar with tho methods of constitutional government, the natural and normal method of local administration is through local bodies elected on some more or less popular franchise. The only .sound excuse for any deviation from this well-established precedent is the proved existence of inefficiency or corruption or both combined in the conduct of public affairs. Mr Bavin and bis followers bold that both these charges have been substantially proved in the ease of Sydney, and they believe that the Labour “machine” lias so firm a hold upon the city that there is no effective way of remedying these evils unless and until a clean sweep is made of all responsible for these abuses of trust and the system that they represent. It is maintained by the Nationalists (the Government) now. that the interests or this great city have iieen sacrificed partly to political exigencies, partly to the greed of individuals, and that t. give the metropolis a chance of freeing itself from these baneful influences, the only practicable course is to place it under the authority of a public bodyappointed for this special purpose, bound by no party ties, and prepared to exercise its authority impartially. Assuming that the case against fTiose who have controlled municipal affairs in Sydney, in recent years is as bad as Mr Bavin believes, we may admit that there is a good deal to he said for his proposed remedy. Government by Commission has lieen tried with some success in the United States to chock civic corruption, and in Britain in cases where local bodies have lieen guilty of gross extravagance and reckless mismanagement. But it must not be forgotten that such a form of administration necessitates the surrender of those democratic principles on which throughout the British Empire all forms of Government, local or central, are based. As a last resort, a desperate remedy, to be tried when every other cure has failed, there is something to be said for government by a nominated Commission. The situation

seems to contain something ol a lesson for administration by Labour rule. Iho organisation is prone to extravagances with other peoples’ money. It bus been the case in municipal government In both Great Britain and the United States. Now there is the Aus'.’-.dmo in.stuiu'C) and there is some co uplninl that a New Zealand municipal council directed by a Labour majority, is heading in the same direction. Doubtless (lit- new authority ill Sy 1 icy will ideal something of the true financial position as developments occur, and the public will receive further eiiiiglitonmcn of where Labour rule lends. I lie sit nation there, however, must he cn .0 palapbie w hen responsible Gov.-i'iiok i t feels Hint local government caliliol lie trill,ted to the peoples’ tied, but ntT-o be placed ill the charge of a nonlinaicd commission acting tor the State as a whole. AYith a city so vast as Sydney the example being made c- really quite arresting and should make the elect.-is think over the startling situation