LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5387, 3 July 1878, Page 3

LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT.

' TO THE EDITOR Off THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sib, —A. somewhat extensive experience of the working of Highways Act, Counties Act, anti Public Works Act in an up-country district, have inclined me to submit the following proposals to the notice of those who may attend the conference of representatives of County Councils shortly. 1. The formation of a Board of Works in Wellington. This body to have power to raise a fixed sum of money on colonial security, which might be expended bn Public Works that devolve upon County and Borough Councils. Thus, any county desiring to raise a loan would apply to the Board of Works, and would not go into the open market. The Board of Works having satisfied itself that the work proposed was such as to justify the loan, would not advance the loan until they had assured themselves that the security for principal and interest was amply sufficient.

2. The definition ol Government roads, county roads, and district roads. Proposed that Government roads - should be all such as are of vital importance to the good governance of the colony, either for" military or police purposes, as well as for the requirements of overland traffic of general importance. Wherever such a main line of road serves all the purposes of a county road, the county should subscribe to its maintenance ; but cases arise where a main road traverses unsettled bush country, or barren hilly land only. In these cases the county should not be called upon to support a road that is simply an unprofitable burden on their resources. County roads should be all such lines as connect townships or boroughs, either within a county or in adjoining counties, or any line of road that forms an outlet for two or more counties, or carries traffic that may originate outside of a Highway district, and pass through and beyond such district. Such traffic in a thinly settled district may be unprofitable to both the district and the county, if the stream of; traffic will not support the cost of collecting the tolls. District roads are simply any not included above; but if the rating of Crown lands were again introduced, and any rates so collected were only expended upon district roads opening up unsold lands of the Crown, approved by the Waste Lands Board, a grievance would be removed,. At. present a county well able to stand alone, having no waste lands of the Crown unsold, receives a subsidy for county purposes upon every acre within its boundaries. A struggling county, with a small population, a large quantity of inaccessible land, must live in hope of outside assistance, and be content to find the capital that is looked up within its boundaries ignored by the assessors,

3. That county subsidies should bo oxponded only upon county roads ; or that no subsidy should be granted except to such counties or parts of counties as might levy a county rate. Otherwise there is a danger of county subsidies being absorbed by purely local and district roads; whenever the county as a whole uses roads outside of its boundaries, or the sea, for its highway. It is manifestly a perversion of county subsidies, simply to bo used as extra subsidy on district roads. 4. That, a fixed proportion ;of county subsi. dies given to counties containing unsold Grown lands should bo set apart for opening up such lands. Some such regulation is the sole chance of outlying districts receiving the consideration they deserve. Populous districts, rich in votes and subsidies, will always have strength to starve outlying portions. The weaker parts must be propped up; or a riding having nothing but Grown lands would receive no subsidy or rates, and would apparently want roads more than any other. 5. That the management and maintenance of Government roads should bo thrown upon counties by mutual arrangement. That the superintendence and maintenance of county roads should devolve upon road boards, subject in either case to supervision and control of the th'e superior body, and withdrawal in ‘ the event of inefficiency or neglect by the local body. . ’6. That a common set of by-laws and standing orders bo adopted. That the charge for postage against road boards and counties

should be removed, as taxing the most businesa-likft and exact board the heaviest, and tending to restrict correspondence. A less local form of assessment, a .common form of accountkeeping is wanted, and the frequent calls for abstracts of receipts and expenditure, with ever* varying details, are surely necessary, when one published form would answer all requirements, • ■ I venture to submit these suggestions for consideration as crude ideas for more practised minds to weigh and resolve upon, with an apology for the length of the article.—X am, &c., ■ :