The Standard AND PEOPLE'S ADVOCATE. (PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.) SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1876.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 437, 16 December 1876, Page 2

The Standard AND PEOPLE'S ADVOCATE. (PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1876.

“ We shall sell to no man justice or right: We shall deny to no man justice or right: We shall defer to no man justice or right.”

The Chairman of the Poverty Bay District Highway Board has acted wisely in calling a public meeting to obtain an expression of opinion on the question of the proposed new local government, and particularly as to the ifdvisability of merging the present existing Highway District into the county. It is a pity that the question of erecting the town of Gisborne into a municipality was not included in the Chairman’s notice ; but as it is one of equal importance’and necessity, and cannot bo much longer delayed, we doubt not it will be taken up with vigor, and command the serious attention to which it is entitled.

We -propose now to make a few remarks on this question of local government, and that is all that can be done ; for it is simply impossible in our limited space to deal with it in detail. The whole of the Acts embodying the new scheme, five in number, of which the Counties Act is the Head Centre, are so cumbrous, complex, and-conflicting, that, as one journal remarks, “ it requires a Philadelphian lawyer to interpret them;” and it will be eminently unsatisfactory if the ratepayers have to be led by the nose, and in the dark, in bringing them into force. Each of the Acts in question should be in every person’s hand, who takes an interest in the new order of things, and this will be amply demonstrated at the meeting, and can be easily guessed at now, when we state that in the five Acts there are no less than 831 clauses, some of which are soapparently opposing that nothing short of the most intelligent vigilance can save us from a disastrous mess.

From all parts of the colony our exchanges contain reports of meetings at which resolutions are carried deciding to merge Road Districts into Counties, and others for separation from Counties by becoming Boroughs. Although it is contemplated that Road districts shall preserve their individuality within Counties, it is difficult to see how they can work together without clashing : and, besides, this double form of Government is useless, while it will entail multiplied expenses in management. Still ratepayers will have a slight advantage in the continuance of the Boards, inasmuch as the County system is, without them, but a return to a centralising form of Government. County Councils are a kind of supreme authority ; aud we can find no provision against both them and Highway Boards levying rates over the same properties within the same area. If the Boards are to continue, Ratepayers will have their Government more localised, and their command over their own affairs will also be morellocalised, than under the County. For instance, the Poverty Bay Highway District, which now sends five members to the Board, will, as a’ Riding, be represented by 2 members only ; while on the other hand, the one member from the Waiapu, or Tologa Ridings, will have as much to say in (say) the Arai Riding, as the member for that Riding will have himself. This is but provincialism in another form, and will not tend to remove the troubles of which that form of Government was a pregnant source. The Council, consisting of seven members only, will have the whole government of the vast tract of country extending from Mahia to East Cape, which can hardly be contemplated; while if partitioned into Road Boards, each district can have its affairs administered by local men of its own selection. But even so, the County will still hold control for general purposes of supervision, and for the undertaking of larger works than is permissible by Road Boards. As we gather, license and other fees will be received into the County Fund, and, if the whole of the Counties Act is decided by the Council to be brought into operation, a general rate, not exceeding a shilling in the pound, can be levied all proproperty within the County, which, apparently, includes Road districts as well. The Council can levy a special rate, not exceeding 5 per cent, on petition of ratepayers. It can, also, borrow money, (with consent) up to four times the amount of the total general rate for one year, and, further, make a special rate, to provide for interest and sinking fund. Of course, it is not absolutely incumbent on Councils to do all that they cando by law, but it is easy to see that their power will be a fruitful element of clashing interests as between County and Highway ratepayers. The County Fund consists of the rates aboveal hided to, license fees, fi ties, rents, and subsidy from the General Government; and, if the Council decide that the administrative portion of the Act shall not come into force, it has the power of dividing its revenues amongst the various Highway Boards in the County, whose own sources of income will be, as now, from rates and Government subsidy, less deductions on account of hospital thaintenanee ijn the district. i I This much will suffice to set 11J? |

ratepayers on the track of thought. We ask their serious consideration of matters fraught with the greatest importance as bearing on their future welfare ; and to show their appreciation and realization of their responsibilities by attending in large force at the meeting called on the 23rd iust.