The Patea Mail. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAYS WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 1876.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 117, 24 May 1876, Page 2

The Patea Mail. PUBLISHED WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAYS WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 1876.

.Tonoixo from the correspondence that has taken place between bur Julius Vogel and Mr Macfuidrow, the Government sire by no means prepared with their Local Government Rill, or if they have •such a measure ready to submit to Parliament, it must be of the crudest and most unsatisfactory nature. Many journals, staunch supporters of 1/hc present Ministry, have taken the alarm, and certainly not without reason, for it seems that though the Provinces will lie swept away, a complete organisation to supply the* place of Provincial Government machinery is not yet matured. This has heon made abundantly manifest in the sharp correspond once above referred to, whereon it is specially stated that though a Local Government Pill will he introduced, it will not touch the Road Hoards at presenf. Instead of any proposal to consolidate them into -one large governing body, under whatever title might be chosen, it will, as at ■present proposed, prolong the existence of the scores of potty Hoards at present existing. The “ Taranaki Herald ”of Wednesday-last, has an excellent article •on this subject, in which we so heartily agree, that we extract the following. Our contemporary says ; “ Why not- constitute onr Province a comity at once? Hivide the county into as many wards as there are to be members of •the County Council. Let it be necessary -that a -candidate for a ward should be a "ratepayer in the ward. Allow a limited ■payment to'the members of the Council. 'Tina would ensure attendance and enable flic waid to he represented by residents in •the ward. If Ibis was done there would be no necessity whatever for onr small Road Boards, which, as a ride, waste a good deal of the ratepayers money. All flic work could then bn lot by contract at the. proper period of the year, and properly ’inspected. The Council would be a respectable Body, with considerable local power, so that a seat at the Board would bo eagerly sought, for. The whole local business of the county could be done by this body, and in consequence of the large

area of the dktrtct, proper officers could bo

employed to carry out the directions of the Board, The chairman would he a paid •officer elected by the Board, would preside at the meetings, and generally conduct

the -administration. Besides the making ■and maintenance of roads, the Board •could well manage charitable aid, hospitals, and even education. If the whole Province wore 'included in the Comity, it would very much simplify the question of the distribution of the land revenue, •which will-be a-very .vexed one if the proceeds of land sales occmf ingln one county are paid over to make roads "in another.' .'A County.thus-constituted would have the ell’ect of creating a broad feeling in the administration, 1 a desire to act for the.

good ol; tho comity as a whole, and that potty local spirit,'apt to he generated in small local bodies, would be kept very much in chock. The proceedings of such a hotly would be amply reported, and the ■public would thus be fully posted np on ■all matters transacted .by the Board. To sncli a body large powers could safely be ■given, such as the power to borrow money-on the security of tho rates, the taking of land for roads, and the closing of ■useless roads, the levying of special rates ■for special •purposes, the erection of toll ■gates, and generally a full authority to deal with all local matters. There would ‘be no cUntcdlty. in bringing some system of local government into operation during .the present year, and we are certain that it would work with much 'efficiency, and more satisfactorily to'tho ratepayers, than if the responsibility was divided with Road Boards; wbicli, if they exist.; must necessarily be controlled by the County Board, or chaos will soon reign in local administration,” Tho suggestions contained in the above extract have already been adopted m Victoria in the creation of Shire

Councils, the members of which arc elected from different districts within the Shire boundaries. These bodies have absolute control over all roads and bridges within their limits, and arc subsidised by the Government, as in this colony, though much more liberally, in proportion to the rates collected in each. We believe that by the Victorian system the Government give :E2 to every T1 of rates, and thus a handsome sum is at the command ot the dilterent Councils, and they are able to enter into any work licit may be necessary. The same [lowers of borrowing that are to be proposed by the New Zealand Ministry are conferred on Shire Councils, so that it a larger sum is required for any reproductive. work than current income will suffice for the necessary funds are easily raised. Their functions, however, do not extend further than the construction and maintenance of roads and Such a system, wo feel convinced, if adopted here wonkl he an immense improvement on the best Provincial iorm of Government Unit emild be devised. It is so simple in its working, and has proved such an unqualified success in the adjoining Colony, that we cannot see whv there should he a moment s hesitation in adopting it in Now .Zealand. Possibly on reconsideration the Government may yet embody its principles in Liu' p oposed Local Bill, it they do, thy have a proof of its successful working to point to in Victoria, and they will console even the most bigoted Prtvincialist for the loss of his much loved institution. Local self-government in a true souse wonkl be secured, and the people throughout the Colony would rejoice in the Abolition that would be the means of giving them additional privileges. •