South Canterbury Times, FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 1881.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2577, 24 June 1881, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 1881.

The Ministry Las promised to bring down a scheme of local government about the beginning of next month. What will be the basis of that scheme it would be hard to guess. Usually in matters of such large importance, the public are placed in possession of the main details by a pre-sessional utterance of a prominent member of a Ministry. But as, up to a few days ago, the Government had no intention whatever of dealing with the matter, the public must be content to remain a short time longer in suspense. We must congratulate Ministers on their promptitude and courage. Now that the question must be grappled with, it is no use postponing the evil day. If we do not know what are likely to be the proposals of the Ministry, there is no doubt as to what the local bodies themselves want. In a previous issue we drew attention to the cry for more money which went forth from the local government bodies at Wellington. It is not rating powers they seek. They are fully endowed with these already, and have been slow to exercise them. They are perfectly willing to shed their brother’s blood, but are particularly careful of their own. A wonderful change has come over the opinions of people. A short time ago when the local bodies were bleeding the colony pretty freely, there was an almost unanimous opinion that there shouid be an end to the subsidies. It was radically wrong in principle that the general taxpayers (say in Canterbury) should be called upon to contribute to the making of a road past a man’s door in Auckland, and vice versa. Why not put the saddle on the right horse? These arguments were used at a time when there was considerable depression in the colony. No sooner is the colony recovered from the bad times than the tune is changed, and general sources of revenue are sought to be drawn on to supplement the funds of the local bodies. What is the use of a land or property tax if the money is to be directly returned to those who pay the tax ? We are perfectly aware that there are many districts in the colony where the construction and maintenance of local works would be a heavy drag upon the settlers. Canterbury is one of the best favored districts in the colony. There is more bona fide settlement here than in any other two provinces combined—in fact more than there is in the whole North Island. It is perfectly certain that in any general scheme of subsidies Canterbury will come off second best. We notice that it is from the North Island the demand is the greatest for Government aid. The strong will be expected to help the weak. Now, there is no earthly way of raising the money except out of the

pockets of the people. Do the people of Canterbury expect for one moment that they will get as much in return as they will be forced to contribute ? We are speaking of subsidies out of the Consolidated Revenue, and that is what is sought for by the County Councils and Road Boards in the less advanced parts of the colony. The allocation of the land fund is a different matter. It would have been well if that could have been allowed to remain a source of local revenue.

As for the machinery provided for local Government it is generally agreed that the present dual system is a mistake, and that one body is capable of undertaking the work, .It matters not whether that body be called a County Council or a Road Board. It is to be hoped that one simple form will be adopted by Parliament. There are over 450 local governing bodies in New Zealand, for a population of less than half a million. Why, a single corporation at home contains more inhabitants and a far greater amount of wealth. The parish system has indeed been carried to great length in this colony. The sweeping away of at least five-sixths of the local governing bodies would bring about an immense saving. That should be an essential feature of the proposed reform.