GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS FOR 1876.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 357, 7 January 1876, Page 3

GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS FOR 1876.

(Major Atkinson.) He now referred to the questions that were likely to be brought before the next Parliament. First, with regard to a united Colony, the Government would give no countenance to any scheme for breaking up the colony in any form. (Great applause.) They would not support the reviving of Provincial Governments —they were already abolished, and should not be revived, nor could they agree to any federation government. They would submit a bill to the next Parliament to divide the colony into shires, so as to give the people absolute control over their local affairs. He denied that the Government wislied to centralise administrative powers. He believed good government impossible if such a thing was attempted. The bill to be submitted provided for the endowment of shire.couneily, al.-u giving over t'io kind fund t„ deducting interests* on iim 1 = >:iii, n;ni pound for pound as subsidy to raU-s

levied by boards, and councils have power to levy rates and borrow money. With regard to public works the Government proposed to construct a main trunkJipe of railway, according to the original scheme, through the two islands, and with care, he thought it would be accomplished without difficulty. Intimately connected with railways were harbour and river improvements, and it was the duty of the Government to grapple with them when the Provinces were abolished, and they were handed over to the Government. With regard to education, it was the duty of the Gomeut to consider the question, and they proposed to make provision out of the consolidated revenue for educational purposes. He was of opinion that no scheme of education would bo complete without the higher class of educational establishments. A bill would be brought in next session in accordance with those views. With .regard to taxation, all depended on the people themselves. If they unduly forced on the public works, they would have to face increased taxatiou and a monetary crisis; otherwise there would be no need of fresh taxation, except that it might be thought necessary to relieve the land fund of the charges now on it. He then proceeded to say that at present the people did not suffer by taxation, and that they did not pay too dearly for the blessings of good government. With regard to the Goldfields, he would divde them into counties, and give themlpower of local control, subsidising the revenue as provided by the Aboliiion Bill.