THE GOVERNMENT'S LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 91, 15 July 1881, Page 2

THE GOVERNMENT'S LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS.

In moving the second reading of the Crown and Native Lands Eating Bill on Tuesday evening, Major Atkinson announced the opinions of the Government regarding local government. Ho referred to the diversity of opinion which existed on the question, stating that Sir George Grey wanted the rc-establi^hment of the provinces, Mr Beadcr Wood \va utotl the establishment of sovereign States, while Mr Ormond wanted something between the two, between local government and the present form of administration. " The Government," he said, " held that the country had already got local government, but what was wanted was a simplification of such government with the necessary amplification of means to properly carry out the working details." We J quote the following passage from his speech : — The Government contemplated the abolition of Waste Lands Boards, and were considering the advisability of giving County Councils the administration of lands. In regard to County Councils and Road Boards, they found all over the colony — north,south, east, and west— that nobody agreed as to what they should do. Some districts desired that the Road Boards should do ali the work, and others that the County should. One thiug, however, he could state, that from nowhere, either by Conference or by the voice of a single member of the House, had they been asked to amalgate one county with another. But there was one point on which they were all agreed, namely, the desirability of obtaining more money. No doubt it was a very laudable desire, but it was impossible to disguise the fact that there was an impression abroad that money can be obtained otherwise than out of the pockets of the people. He would assure those who though' so that it was a mistake. They must learu to recognise the fact fiat out of the pockets of the ratepayers could money be only ob tamed He thought every facility should be given for the amalgamation of counties with R>ad B >atds It was proposed to give couniies power to collect rates for Road Boards, and if expedient to spend such rates when they are collected. In many instances such a course would be very usetul in saving expense of engineers and overseers of works. The Government proposed also to give to County Couuci's the power that is now exercised by the G-i---vernor in defining Road Boards' boundaries, and both counties aud K->ad Boards would i be permitted to use the property tax ass- { essmeuts for rating purposes and thus save the expense of separate valuations. H". was aware the legislation affecting Road Boards was at present not at all satisfactory, consequently, the Government proposed to introduce a new Act for the purpose of simplifying the present machinery. The present system of election was too ex- [ pensiv", an.l an alteration should be made. The Government were also of opinion that no part of a county shouM lie outside a Road Bmrd, and that tlie Road Boards shouM, as far as practicable, form the electoral divisions of Counties. It appears, therefore, the Govern ui-ut consider finality has been reached as regards our S3*steui of lo cal government. Such, we venture to say, is n t the opinion of the colo nists. Destitute of the ability and courage to bring down a scheme fitted to meet the wants of the country, the Government made an ad misericordiam appeal to the Opposition not to criticise them 100 severely. This was what Major Atkinson said on Tuesday : - It was no doubt very easy to pick holes in any proposals. It was the busiuess of the Opposition to do so. Ho, for one, would not find fault with them for doing so, but he would remind them of a higher duty which it was incumbent on them fr> perform. They should all unite in perfecting some scheme for the country'sgond. H« hoped th.it the Opposition would lay their heads together with the Government and do something really beneficial in such respect. He had carefully thought this scheme out and was prepared to fight f <r it, but he knew members on the other side of the House had also carefully though out the subject, and if they woul I consult together with the Ministerial supporters a perfectly adaptable measure might result. Surely suuh appeals to the Opposition are anything but dignified, coming from a Government which pro fesses to have a good working ma jority ! It will be noticed the Government proposals amount to nothing : simply to leave local go vernai ents in static quo. We say the country will not be satisfied with this. The County Councils, which were instituted as a substitute for provincialism, are not in any sense equal to the institutions which pre ceded them, neither as regards their functions nor their powers. At present the County Councils are but little superior to Road Boards, the distinction merely being that the Councils attend to main roads, while the Boards attend to district roads. Either the functions of the counties must be extended, so as to approximate towards provincialism, or the counties should be abolished altogether, and their powers merged into those of Road Boards. What we should like to see would be a return to a modified form of provincialism, under which several counties having comnnnity of interests would be grouped together, for legislation on such matters as roads,

railways, settlement of liMid, fct., wifchiii their boundaries, leaving them also to deal with tho feucing, iraponn ling, draining, and such mat* tors as were not of colonial interest and application. Thesn bodies should bo empowered to levy all taxes on property and land for their own pur poses, subsidising Road Boards and Boroughs for maintenance of roads and bridges. Under this system works like the improvement- of th • Al.anawatu river would stand a chance of receiving assistance. At p.-eswii assistance for aiuch "needed works ol that character cannot he obtained, or if it is, only by logrolling and other such discreditable tactics. Greymouth port has had spent upon it over £50,000 -out of loan, while Foxton cannot get a penny. Does any one suppose that Wellington would have a Patent Slip, or Dnncdiu its Graving Doe k without provincialism '? AYe do not, and we verily be lieve that as tho Government have shirked, or evaded (perhaps through incompetence) this important ques* fcion, they will meet with their reward, sooner or later. If some such plan as that suggested were adopted, the number of members of the Lower House could bo reducer! to thirty or forty, and Parliament being relieved of the parish business of the country, wo should have better legislation and abler legislators; while the cost of governing the country would certainly be no greater th.au it is at present.