CENTRALISM AND LOCAL SELFGOVERNMENT COMPARED.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 146, 28 November 1868, Page 5

CENTRALISM AND LOCAL SELFGOVERNMENT COMPARED.

It is rather amusing to see how it is proposed to provide a revenue for Provinces when the time shall- arrive for financial partnership between the General and Provincial Governments to be severed, which will probably be done next session. It is proposed that the Provincial loans shall become Colonial, and that the Colony shall take the whole of the consolidated revenue to maintain the General Government establishment, and pay the interest on the consolidated loan; and if any surplus remains at the end of the financial period, to reduce the Customs tariff accordingly. The only revenue thus remaining to the Provinces will be from the unsold land, licenses, &c. ; the balance required to supplement such revenue must be made up by local, taxes imposed by the Provincial Councils, It is very easy to realise the effect of local taxation—that is direct taxation—for Provincial purposes. If any Council would have the courage to impose it—in the face of a storm which would be sure to rise—it would not remain long in force; members would be returned to Council the first opportunity pledged to repeal the obnoxious enactments. The institution therefore collapses for want of a revenue. We should be sorry to see

even the General C overnment depend for existence on dir* ct taxation. Descending a step lower in the scale of political institutions we arrive at a county administration, hut even counties cannot exist beneficially depends nt on din ct taxation, unless it is imposed by the Assembly. They are too close to the taxpayer; their functions would he somewhat similar to those of the Provincial Governments divested of their legislative powers, but wit h a little more simplicity, it is to he hoped, in the appropi iation of their revenue. Their most important duty would be the maintenance and repair of main roads and bridges, and t: e only way this could be carried out would he to render the road or county boards liable to he indicted if this duly was neglected. In that case the boards must he empowered to levy a sufficient rate, whether the ratepayers vote it or not. This is English local self-government; but \vi imagine it is not the sort of self government for which the centralists state there is such a clamour in the outlying districts. Tin local self-government asked for in New Zealand, as we understand it, means to leave it entirely optional with districts whether they rate themselves or not, toi the maintenance and repair of roads, educational purposes, and the relief of the sick and destitute. In a great many cases making it optional is equivalent to not doing it, and it is therefore very evident that will, this system of local self-government then will he a greater want of unanimity in thest matters in New Zealand than there is at the present lime. The satisfactory solution of these questions rests entirely with an intelligent population; and we can onl\ expect people to realise the extent of then public duties, and show a reasonable desire to perform them, when the lapse of a great many years has shown t hat they are necessary for the individual, and consequently for the public good. There are certain services for which all civilised communities must, provide funds, according to theii ability, and it is the duty of all leading men to see that this is done, as far as circumstances will admit, and that the people directly or indirectly get the worth of their money. The neglect of these duties in any community indicates a low state of civilisation, and a misapplication or waste of the public funds, a corrupt administration, and an apathetic public. Our greatest fear in the case of the premature decease of Provincial institutions is, that the Central Government will acquire undue power, which, in the hands of an unscrupulous Ministry, may do the Colony irreparable injury. We look with a jealousy, approaching to dismay, on the growing power in the State of the official class—their influence pervades all sections of the community, and their intelligence and number gives them an undue weight that is dangerous to the Colony. If the electors of New Zealand do not look keenly to their inteiests they will find that the Central Government, on the decay of the Provinces, will attain to a power now undreamed of. Unless the government of the country falls into the hands of honest statesmen, the coming days of our political existence will he worse than these which we now so much deplore. At the pn sent time public opinion makes itself felt in consequence of the great struggle between the Provincial and Central parties, but it remains to be seen how small out-districts, which are now courted and made much of by the Government, will fare when their “ sweet voices” will be no longer required by a strong and triumphant party. By a straining of the vision we can pierce some little distance into the mist that hangs like a veil over the future of New Zealand, and we can plainly see that if the past exhibits in some measure the work of giants, the immediate future will be that of pigmies —the past works of the Provinces will be looked on by these feeble counties as if they were'the toil of the gods, and an impossibility to the present race of nun. The construction of railways, harbours, and large bridges will be abandoned until men will again become convinced by the decay of former works—that consolidated effort is required to revive the prosperity of the people and develop the mineral, agricultural, and commercial resources of the Colony.— Taranaki Herald.