THE GOVERNMENT MEASURES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4483, 2 August 1875, Page 4

THE GOVERNMENT MEASURES.

OPINION IN" THE AUCKLAND VINCE. BY TELEGRAPH. (PKOSI SPECIAL COIIKESPONDENTS.) Guahajistowst, Saturday. ~% Government proposals highly approved of at the Thames. The Advertiser only deals briefly for want of space. It says : —"We may briefly say that we did not think the Ministry would have taken so firm a position as they have done on the question of abolition. They have been represented as a very nervous and timid Ministry ; —men who were afraid to take great political leap in the dark ; but none will be able to bring this charge against them after reading their proposals. The abolition measure undoubtedly goes to the root of the matter, and is in many respects an able and comprehensive reform measure. The endowments are liberal, and the powers of the local bodies ample. The proposals of the Ministry are certainly more favorable than we anticipated, and we believe that they will be well received by the country. Of course, there will be a howl of indignation from Superintendents and provincial officials, and it is possible that so much factious opposition will be shown in the Assembly that the Ministry will be compelled to ask for a dissolution before passing their measures into law. But they need have no fear of the ultimate triumph of their principles. We are not amongst their ardent followers, but we cannot refuse to accept reasonable proposals, however much we may dislike the authors of them. There may betrifling defects in the details of the measures proposed, but they are sound in principle. One defect we think is the small number of members for road boards, but such matters can easily be amended in committee. Auckland, Saturday.

The Cross only summarises the Financial Statement and provisions of both Bills. It makes little comment. Regarding the second reading, fixed for Friday, and the debate on Tuesday, it says the Government, by acting as they have done, disarmed the Opposition, by eliminating from the discussion the chief cause of bitterness, namely, an apparent desire, charged against them, of forcing their measures with unseemly haste upon Parliament and the country. Regarding one of _ the pounds for endowment, it says : —" This is to be paid out of Consolidated Revenue, and as the public creditor has the first claim thereto, the amount likely to come as contribution in aid of the districts from such a source will not be very large." It further remarks : "In the measures we have now discussed there is one thing wanting' which will only strike the North Island reader, that while other provincial districts have land fund at once available for endowing there local governing bodies, Auckland has comparatively little. The lands of the South need no purchasing from aboriginal owners. The land fund of Auckland has yet to be made, but we see no means provided in the measures for making it; —no provision for the purchase of lands whence our future land fund must come."

The Herald, a little more hostile, says:—"We are disposed to give to the Government the most liberal consideration in dealing with them [their measures], always on the assumption that they will be left for the verdict of the colony next election." Referring to the Abolition Bill, and the Government collecting the publicans' and other licenses, the Herald says:—" No doubt the Corporation will prefer collecting them for themselves, and an alteration to this effect, with the experience of the provincial capitation before us, would appear desirable." About the appropriation of the land fund, it says:— "An account is to be taken of the lia-bility-of each provincial district for interest and sinking fund, on all loans, debts, and other liabilities of the province which the district supersdes at the date of abolition. We presume this implies allocation of the public debt of the colony since provincial borrowing ceased, and that this allocation will be made before abolition is proclaimed. If not, it will be decidedly unfair to those provinces which have enjoyed ■ so laree a share of expenditure, and which ■will still, as provincial districts, enjoy the balance of the land revenue." Further on, it says :—" We cannot at this moment see the principle on which the Bill is based. Provincial districts will maintain sectional feeling, as the old provinces are charged with doing. The prospect of a colonial revenue —one purse, and one interest ior the whole colony—is not realised, nor do we exactly see from what source, excepting perhaps confiscated lands, and lands purchased from natives, the road boards of Auckland district can be permanently endowed. Much light will be cast on the measure in debate ; and many provisions nodoubt will be modified. The country will then be better able to form a clear opinion, and express a sound decision at the approaching election." Regarding the Local Government Bill, the Herald takes exception to rans leased from the Government being rated. Iff" considers such a provision will prevent new districts from being formed. Referring to Shire Councils, the same paper remarks :—" The telegram does not define very explicitly the limits of the authority of the Shire Councils, nor their power of making by-laws, nor if by-laws are to be subjected to approval, and if so, to whom they are to be submitted. The Bill," it says, "is drafted on the model of the South Australian and Victorian Acts, and Hall's Bill of 1868. Whether it would be applicable to New Zealand must depend upon the power of the Government permanently to provide the promised endowments. This, in turn, must depend upon final dealings with the land revenue, which in South Australia and Victoria is not expended in the particular district in which it is raised."