PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY & SATURDAY. Wednesday, July 13, 1881.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 960, 13 July 1881, Page 2

PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY & SATURDAY. Wednesday, July 13, 1881.

The Financial Statement of Major Atkinson, although it contains much of a necessarily tentative character, lays claim to a corresponding amount of originality. We refer now more particularly to that portion of it that deals with the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges, and the settlement of land, coevally therewith. On the whole it contains matter, probably foreshadowing the bases of the local government of the future, which will be found, in practice, to be an improvement on the existing system. But there remains much to be worked out by facts and figures, in reducing it from its theoretical position. It is only natural that, situated as the East Coast is, and neglected as it has been, we should readily subscribe to any scheme calculated to improve our inland condition, in the shape of land settlement, roads and bridges. Therefore, we hail with satisfaction the statement of the Government that “ provisional roads are only the be- “ ginning of a necessary work, and “ that settlement of small blocks of “ land cannot be successful without “ good roads. As a matter of sound “ policy, a good road, if it does not “ precede, ought certainly to imine- “ (Lately follow, settlement.” For this occasion we pass by main roads in unsettled districts, and proceed to a consideration of roads of the second class — those running through settled or partially settled districts. Major Atkinson illustrates the functions of the proposed Roads Construction Board, in its relation to local bodies, thus: “Suppose a local “ body desires to construct a piece of “ main road or build a bridge, which “we will say is to cost £10)0, it will “ prepare estimates showing the cost “of the proposed work, and submit “ them to the Board, and ascertain if “ there is money available ; if there is “money available, the local body will, “ after taking an affirmative vote of “•the ratepayers, strike such a special “ rate over that part of the district “ benefited by the proposed, work, in- “ eluding Government and Native “lands, if any, as will in ten years “repay, without interest, one-quarter “of the amount obtained from the “ Roads Construction Board. In the “ case supposed of the work costing “ £lOOO, the Board would have to “strike a special rate which would “ produce £25 a year, or £250 in ten “ years ; or, if the local body had £250 “in hand which it could apply to the “ proposed work, or chose to first “ raise the money by general rate, it “ could then obtain from the Roads “ Construction Board £750, the bal- “ ance of the £lOOO estimated to com- “ plete the work.”

Of the principle of the foregoing there can be little doubt ; but the working of it, as it stands, seems to be otherwise. It is understood that the 20 per cent of land revenue will no longer be paid to counties ; therefore, taking an entirely local view of that fact, the East Coast will be largely benefited by the change, when it is considered that even now, we have no land revenue and hardlv a chain of road worthy the name. But we fear the Government will encounter much opposition from those districts which, already possessed of good arterial roads, and Large Crown estates, will hesitate in giving up a present certainty for a doubtful future equivalent, and, by so doing, divert their income from land sales, to aid districts like the East Coast, which have neither land revenue, nor roads. That, however, is one more of principle than detail. Let us then look at the Hon. Treasurer’s illustration. He says if a work to the amount of (say) £lOOO is required, the local body w ill strike a rate over “ that part of the district “ benefited by the proposed work.” Now, in this we shall find many apples of discord. Who is to decide, in striking a rate, which “ part ” of a district will be most “benefited” by the expenditure ? Let us take another illustration. Suppose the “ local body,” decide to construct a bridge over the Waipaoa river at Scott’s crossing, and to make the road fit for coach traffic to Mangatu, involving an outlay of (say) £5OOO,

will the half dozen residents, immediately benefited, consent to be taxed to pay £125 a year for ten years for the collateral benefit of the rest of the district ? Such a scheme might work tolerably well, if the local bodies are conterminous, such as Road Boards, because the members of those bodies would be raiingthemselves; but as it will bean item in the new Local Govermneilt Bill to abolish existing' Road Boards, this new rating power would devolve on County Councils, the members of w’hich might not have the same direct interest in the matter. It will be noticeable that throughout all the foregoing, “ local body ” is the only definition given by Major Atkinson. We now come to “ districts,” or by-roads, to support which the ColoDial Treasurer say the following is the idea :—

Suppose a Road Board wishes to borrow £lOO for a small bridge or other work, it would submit an estimate of the proposed work to the Roads Construction Board ; on ascertaining that there was money available, and, after taking an affirmative vote of the ratepayers, the Road Board would strike a special rate which would produce £9 a year for thirteen and a half years. The produce of this rate would be paid over to the Board half-yearly, and by the expiration of the period I have named the whole of the amount borrowed, with interest at 3 per cent, per annum, would be repaid. It is curious to notice that this is the first specific mention of “ Road Board.” In all other cases “ Local Body ” alone, is named ; leaving it as an inference that to Road Boards, or something subsidiary to other “ local bodies,” will be entrusted the minor duties of “ districtal ” government. But, even allowing this, we cannot easily distinguish the difference between a local body empowered to do large works, and Road Boards, whose powers are confined to small ones. Nor is the Treasurer’s illustration clear as to why the one body should have a free gift of three-fourths of the amount of its requirements, while the other has to borrow, and repay, the full amount with interest.

We commend these subjects for the consideration of our readers; and shall take other opportunities of remarking on them, and other salient points of the Statement.

De Bernardy’s Next of Kin Gazette for May, 1881, is at the service of anyone wishing to inspect the same at our office. Some silver pheasants, which were some years ago liberated on the estate of Mr E. C. Bolton, of Matawhero, Poverty Bay, are said to be thriving and increasing so rapidly that he has offered to catch some for the use of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society. On Monday, the 25th instant, the J Battery Variety Troupe, who have already ensconced themselves as general favorites with the public, intend producing two farces—“ Betsy Baker,” and “ The Unfinished Gentleman.” We have every reason to believe that this entertainment will quite equal, if wot eclipse, their former efforts. The cast of characters will appear in our next issue. The Rosina, steamsr, left the harbour early yesterday morning for Awanui, with the boiler and boring gear for the Southern Cross Petroleum Company’s works. The steamer has been ready to start for some days, but the easterly weather, and heavy sea on the coast prevented her departure, with any hope of success. The Government s.s. Stella left yesterday for the Coast, en route to Auckland. She called in here, principally to “ pick up ” the rock on w: ich Captain Kennedy struck the Ilawea some two years ago. Whether she did pick it up or not, we do not know, but the speedy despatch of a steamer, so soon after the accident, shows how the Government are alert to avoid danger to life and property. Mr. White, the recent popular landlord of the Farndon Hotel in Hawke’s Bav, arrived, with his family, in Gisborne, by the Penguin, on Sunday last. We believe Mr. White succeeds Mr. Caulton as Boniface in the Roseland Hotel at Makaraka, of which he takes possession in a day or so. We trust, and we believe Mr. White will not regret the step he has taken. The proprietor of the Gisborne Hotel has determined to iriake it a home for working men second to none in the Bay. Mr. Jennings certainly has the advantage' of possessing a large and roomy building, and from personal inspection we can vouch for the cleanliness and neatness of bedrooms, parlors, kitchen and dining-room. Mr. Jennings will of course be remembered by most people resident here a few years, as having been for a long time connected with the old Albion, when kept by Mr. Bradley, and this in itself is a guarantee that the conduct of the hotel will prove altogether satisfactorv to those who favor “ mine host ” with a visit.