OUR MUCH-GOVERNED COUNTRY.

Kumara Times, Issue 2585, 4 October 1884, Page 2

OUR MUCH-GOVERNED COUNTRY.

That New Zealand is a much-go-verned country has (says the Post) long been a well-recognised fact by the people, but the extent of over-govern-ment has, we think, never been brought forward in such a striking manner as it was by Mr Pyke in a late debate. The figures he adduced were so remarkable that they deserve being placed on record. Leaving altogether out of the question the General Assembly and its subordinate Civil Service, and confining himself to what is known as local government, Mr Pyke showed that there were in the colony 70 Borough Councils, 78 County Councils, 395 Road Boards, and 44 Town District Boards. This section of local Government is therefore carried on by 477 bodies, with 4393 members. That is the number of persons charged with the management of streets, roads, and bridges. In another section, Mr Pyke showed there were 15 River Boards, 35 Harbour Boards, 10 Waste Land Boards, 12 Education Boards, 484 Licensing Committees, and 51 Hospital and Charitable Aid Committees, giving in all a total of 1772 local bodies, comprisinga membership of 1G.200 persons engaged in managing the affairs of some half mii!i"u of npop’p. ] | n every 20 of the population. Taking the number of adult males at every eighth,

man is apparently engaged in governing his neighbours. Going a little closer into the examination, we find that there are 1920 licensing committeemen to look after 1581 licensed victuallers; and there are upwards of 5600 school committeemen to look after the interests of 108,000 scholars, or one committeeman to every 20 children. We should be a happy, well-behaved people.