FRANCHISE AND COUNTY CHAIRMEN CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5361, 3 June 1878, Page 2

FRANCHISE AND COUNTY CHAIRMEN CONFERENCE.

TO THE EDITOXt .Ofc' THE NEW ZBAt,ASD TIMES. Sib, —According to a recent Ministerial statement put forth in one of their organs, the Franchise Bill from which the public have-/been led to expect so much is being dulyprepared by the Attorney-General, and on - the / principle of honoring those to whom honor is 1 due, a maxim that should ever' characterise the con. duct of one. man towards another, I feel great pleasure in bearing my humble testimony to the moderation of the general' principles of this measure set' forth, in the Government Press, i Although ! cannot hide from myself the faetthat' it' la of a very'different character from' what might have been exported, from the utterances of the Premier, and the great •importance he evidently attached to it when on Us 'stumping ’ tour through the cnlony, on which occasion he appears ever to have made it a fixed and prominent point in every oration, consistency not' being' a virtue to which the Premier is specially wedded, he will no doubt willingly accept .this moderate practical measure; that will, I presume, give satisfaction to the so-called liberals' without being offensive to tho more conservative element of our community, .it being scarcely an extension of the franchise - at all, bat rather the repeal of certain existing, franchises, and placing the same on a/.more , uniform and satisfactory basis., Nothwithstanding the Premier’s general •loquacity, there is !oue. .subject of very great importance, not only affecting the . local frin. . chise, but our whole /local governmental machinery, on which I am not aware that he or ! any of - his colleagues have os yet spoken. I mean the' County-Chairmen''Conference which is to meet-in Wellington.on tho Ist July next. The whole question of - the general adaptability or otherwise of our county system .of local government, as well as the general effect of its operation, where a full and fair trial has/been - made, appears enveloped in a fog, from the'contrariety of opinions expressed, and testimonies reenrred ou'the subject. One of the great, public, advantages that wilt be achieved by this conference will be—-that it .will be the means of,'lifting this fog, and placing .before tho -Government" and Parliament a variety of facts and suggestions in connection therewith that cannot fail to he of great service to tho Legislature in dealing with the; question.,; • I could suggest to tho Government -the advisability, ou tlie meeting of the aforesaid conference, of / their securing' tho services, of some-few members of/Parliament who havo taken- and do take a special interest in this great's question 'of local aelfrgovernment,' ;.to uit in .'/deliberation .with the’'conference,' r.One ofthe advantages of this course would be that they ■would not be specially interested-in,or wedded to any particular suggestions'of a local character—as it is too probable many of the members will be—but .would be likely to take a broader and. more colonial view of the whole question/ and thereby give material assistance in framing such suggestions-for the consideration of the Legislature, as would be practicable and generally applicable. . ..And., further, when the Counties Act- Amendment. Act comes before the-House,- these members would not only be prepared to explain in detail the full scope and “hearing of- the, suggestions,* but all the reasons for their adoption by the conference -I am,.&c.,'. -' ; * Q.