LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 149, 24 June 1881, Page 4

LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

The« following is an extraot from Mr Wfckefielfi's speech in the debate on the address in reply : — We are told by Hie Excellency tbat it is the intention of the Government to provide for affording existence to local bodies. 1 bope they will do nothing of the kind. Wo have had, too much of tbis dribbling out doles to .local bodits. What we want is Local Government, arid I say that Local Government will not be prorro'ed but will be destroyed by the continuance of this wretched system of dribbling out doles of money to local bodies We shall never hove Local Government so long aa that exists in the country. The hon. member for tbe Thames has given us a plan. He hae told us that he is goiDg to brins in a bill. I was sorry to bear that, because I believe tbat if he does bring in a bill of tbe nature ho bus described, it will throw back tha prospect of getting o good system of Looal Stlf-Government for tbis country. If he hts influence enough to effect what he bos indicated, ho will throw back tbe prospects oi self government for many years. The Government ought to I ring in a scheme. I still hope that when these hoD.gentlemen speak, as they will, no doubt, in a few minutes, tbey will tell ue that although they have not placed io the epeech any sketch of their planp, oi anything more than a general reference to the subject of Local Government, yet tbey do intend io give us, at all events, before we go lo the country, an outline sketch of the scheme, If any scheme is introduced by the member for the Thames which has anything in it of the elements cf right, it will bt very difficult for bon. gentlemen, feeling as I do, not to vote with him upon this matter, even if we differ from him on most of the political questions of the dßy. I am bound to say lam disappointed tbat my bon. friends on thes? benches have not ere this given us a plain assurance that they will face this question boldly. It is not a small question—it is the iargeit queetion in the politics of this country at the present time, by far. It is the only qm.tion in the politics of this country tbat ie worth considering seriously at all, be cause it involves all otber questions in ita comprehensive grasp. Let us go back for a few minutes to see in what position we stand In 1875 the provinces were abolished. We were then told by Sir Julius Yogel that it would cause no dislocation, that it would cause no disorder in the country, no dissatisfaction whatever ; that in three months ail departments would be administered, either lorally or by the General Government just as smoothly and satisfactorily as they were under tbe provincial system. On that assurance the country consented to the abolition of the provinces ; and, speaking for myself, on that assurance I supported, with what humble efforts I could use, the abolition of the provinces. Sir, that assurance hae been absolutely neglected. The promises then mßde bave been absolutely broken, and I cay, without the least hesitation, that if at that time I for one could bave foreseen what would hove occurred, nothing would have induce;! me, even if it had ke#t me out ol politics for the rest of my life, to support the abolition of the provinces. We know the circumstances wbich then occurred. Sir Julius Yogel was burry ing home to England. He threw the Counties Bill on the table, ond told us to do wbat we liked with it not caring a pin whether it was oarried, or what happened to it, and as a fact, we know that an optional clao&e had been inserted in the Act before the House would accept it at all. On those terms the House accepted the Counties Act ; and on the hon. gentleman who succeeded Sir Julius Yogel assuring us that adequate provision would be made for local government as soon as the trouble ot Abolition had been got over— -the Government told us tbey could not do everything in a day ; tbat was their expression—and we quite agreed that the disorder in whicb the fffairs of the country were at that time needed, that a great deal of moderation should be exercised on both sides. Well, we were left with a system of subsidies, then in its full force. To my mind, this was tbe most vicious system ever introduced into any country— a system which utterly debauched the local bodies, whicb operated in a most unjußt manner, which had this effect, that rich districts in the country whicb wanted, money least got most, ond districts tbat wanted money most got none or very little. I believe no system was evtrdeviced in this country ao calculated so stop the progress of colonization or settlement as that of subsidies. It was an utterly vicious system. Districts in tbe colony, which were rolling in wealth at the time, although tbey did notknowhow to spend the money, put on rates which they could very well afford to pay for the sole purpose of getting tbe pound for pound, and co increased their already large hoards, whilst poor district?, whicb oupbt to bave been assisted, got mere trifles by taxing themselves to a degree tbey could hardly bear. That was the effect of the system of subsidies. I opposed it through thick end thin, ahd never lost an opportunity of attacking it, and did my best to get it reversed. Well, in course of time it had to be reversed. The whirligig of time brought round its own i oversea, and the subsidy system had to be abolished. Tbe hon. gentleman then said, "We mußt resume subsidies, but I shall rxake adequate provision for local finance." This was the year before last, but everything was in confusion. We bad had a general election jwe had had a bad attack of the hon member for the Thames, and >we were then slowly recovering from him, and the hon Treasurer truly interpreted the feeling of the House and said, "Do not raise this difficult subject now, for goodness' sake; let it alone, and next year I promise you I will make adequate provision for Local Finance." Last year the hon gentleman came down with a scheme which I have not got over yet. I hope he will never bring down another like it. If be does, I trust tbat in the meantime be will improve the management of theLunatio Asylums of the colony, because they

will be tbe only tetreat for those who bave »o study another scheme like thet. The honorable gentleman, I am sure, never intended this Hooee to study it at all deeply. What be wanted was for us to £ive up in disgust at about the third paragraph, and let it drop quietly. Wei), he did drop it we know, and so quietly that I do not think anybody was aware of if. The erenft scheme for making adequate provision for local Gnence was quietly withdrawn, snd everybody said " Goodbye, God bless you, never let ua see fight of you epain." That wes the tnd of this scheme, but he took the Rubsidies and 20 per cent of the Lsnd Fund ell the sorcp, and did not give us any provision for local flannce. Then be told us v Oh the subsides will be continued temporarily in a manner." Thrice half-a-crown for part of the year. What it meant was this " We will let you down fwy;" hut there was oo provision for Local Finance. However, the bon eentlernan told us that, most unwillingly and under circumstances of greai pain, he had withdrawn hie scheme, but that this session we should have something like Local Finance. I like tbe bulldog pertinacity of that bon gentleman. He sticks to a thing until in the end be gets it, if be wants it. But, sir, he did not want tbis, no tbat when he _ot up to address his constituents, at New Plymouth, he referred to the subject in Buch a light and airy fashion, that you would hardly know tl c subject again. Sir Julius Yogel told us <hat the counties might work their own deitioy. Now the Colonial Treasurer sayc "Settle your own affaire." It comes to the sume thing. Tbe thing has been dwindling down, or, bb Americans would say, it bas been " figgling out." It has been lapsing off from a great scheme of local Government, which was to replace provincial institutions, and which was to b 8 o great d^al better tban provincial institutions. The Government must deal with tbis question of local government. They are not treating the Home and country fairly, and the country will not stand treatment of that kind. What we want is decentralization of Government iv New Zealand. We do not want the House made the arena for oeity struggles upon local questions. There is no power of self-government io the couutry— tbe whole thing ie centred here, and if every man does aot grab as much as he can during the session he does a wroog to his constituents. I say that the Government ought to furnish the country with a scheme entirely abolishing this petty system of Central Government, and substituting for it one which will give Loctl Self government in its most liberal form to the country, and give to this House only the power of dealing with matters of colonial concern. They are et joying a period of tranquility. There was never a time more favourable for treatment on thia subject. They have had a majority, not a very large one, but still it was a strong and compact raoprity. They have had a party who never criticised them severely, who backed tbem up through thick and thin in everything they did. Speaking with full knowledge that there are many honorable members on the Opposition side of the House who differ widely from me, I say, moreover, they have had an Opposition as reasonable as any Opposition that ever existed. The hon. member at the head of the Government bas often complained of unreasonable obstruction. I bave not seen that obstruction. There never ;wasa time, I believe, wben it woold have been more convenient to bring down proposals of the largest kind, or wben such proposals would bave had a i better chance of receiving the fair consideration of the House and country. I do earnestly trust that my hon. friends on the Ministerial benches will not allow tbis opportunity to slip through their fingers. If the Government do not brins: in any proposal for decentralizing i the Government of New Zealand, I bope some hon. gentleman wiii bring in such ;a measure, and that it will be a measure to command tbe confidence of of this House. Ido not care what quarter \it comes from. If it comes from the hon, member for tbe Tbames/and is a really statesmanlike and good plan, I will welcome it from him as heartily as from any other bon. gentleman, but it is almost impossible for me to believe iwith tbe experience I have had of that hon. gentleman that he will bring down a practicable measure, or one tbat will be honestly designed to advocate the welfare of the colony. But if he does bring down such a measure as I speak of, I shall heartily welcome it ; and I am sure it will go far to redeem that bon. gentleman's reputation as a statesman in tbis country. Having made these remarks, hon. gentlemen will . recognise that this is a subject which, in my opinion, transcends altogether the bounds of party consideration. It is a most important one, and one that must be dealt with. If those hon. 'gentleman think they can enjoy v political rest," or that they can substitute legislative fussiness for political activity, they are entirely mistaken. There is no such thing as " Political Rest ; " it is either political stagnation |or political fever, and every period of political stagnation is followed by an j outburst of political fever ; and if you I put the brake upon the political coach, j the very moment the brake is removed Ithe horses will run away with the

vehicle. Tlie speaker concluded with a bope that nothing be bad said would be interpreted as in any way derogating from tbe confidence be bad reposed in the gentlemen on the Treasury Benches, and which be still reposed in them.