LETTERS FROM LITTLE PEDLIN GTO, INVERKELLY.

Southland Times, Volume VI, Issue 491, 11 June 1866, Page 2

LETTERS FROM LITTLE PEDLIN GTO, INVERKELLY.

No. 111. . Thos. Toinkins, Esq., Rmntifoozle Square, London. Mt Dear T, — My last closed with the soothingly melancholy demise of the i Town Board. I have now to inform you of the singular advantages of the next institution — Road Boards. These are established under an Ordinance providing for a system of local taxation, which, however practicable and applicable to an old and settled community, I need hardly say is totally unadapted to meet the requirements, or foster the wellfare of a young and sparsely populated country. The principle on which you are taxed is that of the annual rental value of your land. The method of" procedure is simple. Brown, Jones and Robinson wish a road to be made to their properties, as it will be a mutual benefit, their land fronting on the same road line ; they combine, and request the Government to declare their district one under the Roads' Ordinance. The Grovernment, delighted to see evidence of a desire on the part of an intelligent agricultural community, to "develop the inexhaustible resources of the country, by opening up its interior," (this is the correct style) does it. Brown, Jones and Robinson immediately proceed to elect themselves into a " District Road Board," and then— - the pleasant est part of the work — to allocate the modicum of taxation. There are about ten landowners in the district, the majority being absentees. B. J. R. and Co. own land fronting a side road, absentee owns land fronting the main road, tax absentee heavily— there are so few : altogether in the district—to enable a road to be made, which cannot benefit him in the least. Presto — Tho absentee is informed by letter, duly , signed by the Secrerary and Treasurer of the Cata warn pus-bog Roaa District "that his. land is worth two shillings an acre per annum to let. This information is novel and rather startling. He has fenced hie

land, it is in a favorable position, jet he cannot let it for sixpence an acre ; or if lie did the lessee would, bolt when pay day came. He does not see it, and audaciously refuses to pay. B. J. B. and Co. sue him in court. As he is absent, he is generally undefended,, which materially" assists the ends of justice, and is a great advantage to the local District Board. B. J. and E> are virtuously indigna t. They show beyond a possibility of c&ubt, that if it is not let for 2s an acre, it ought to be ; that in reality they might conscientiously (?) have charged four, but that living in an upright and Christian community, they are specially desirous of acting equitably and justly — " God save tile mark !" The case is clear as mud. .... There can be no doubt of the -disinterestedness of B: J. and B. They attended kirk regularly, are thoroughly acquainted with -both the long and short catechism j absentee loses. If; he would not pay, a sufficient portion of his land is escheated, under a splendid law " the nonpayment of rates act." He might grumble, -but he had to pay. He had one estimable satisfaction, however, that of fulfilling — whether willingly or otherwise — the precept inculcated in the golden rule. "Do unto your neighbor ks you would wish to be done by." I i propounded this theory to an absentee j who had been mulct. He was, I am sorry to say, and which to you will be a matter of surprise, out of temper, and replied fchat he was done by his neighbor, and only wished he had the chance to do Mm. This remark I looked upon as profane, exceedingly naughty, and cut him- at once. Here it would never do to consort with the profane. "Yv'e are a righteous people, and study outward appearances greatly. Eoad. Boards, however, have somehow, like the more celebrated institution — the Town Board, fallen into disrepute. It was at last found impossible to convince the Bench that land, which palpably was worth nothing to let per annum, could realize a rental of two shillings an acre. B. J. and E. were ready to swear it was, but circumstances and facts were too strong for them. The Roads' Ordinance is a dead letter, and men having capital to invest in property, and means wherewith to improve it can do so without the least fear of being fleeced, as the uncircumsized term it. So utterly extinguished is it that an Ordinance, termed the Local Improvement Ordinance, has been lately passed, putting an extinguisher on District Boards, and vesting the power of I taxation and execution of the works reposed in the Government, where it ought i always to have been, in so thinly populated a country. Under this Ordinance, '■ the taxation will be characterised by a spirit of justice and all the expensive and ludicrous paraphanalia of District Boards abolished. It has taken however more than three years ' to effect so ' judicious a change, but it evidences that in our old age we are retrieving the errors of our 3'outh. I now corns to the Education Board, and its disagreeable offspring, the District Boards ; or more correctly School Committees. In the old country 1 understand much difficulty has been experienced in devising some system of public education which would unite efficiency with economy, and not press too heavily on the resources of the Government en the one ■ hand, or pockets of the people on the other. Commissions of some of the soundest and ablest men' have been "tippointed to investigate the subject, and yet I believe no definite solution of the problem has been arrived at. We cut the Gor&ian knot. "What might puzzle Lord John Eussell and the House of Commons was a flea-bite to our own Provincial Legislature. But then we are a " tall country." The same year which produced the -Road Ordinauce gave birth to the Education Ordinance. How we survived the operation is considered by students of physiology as miraculous. It evidences the inherent strength of our constitution. But we were ignorant of legislation in those days, and parturition was bound to supervene. Alas ! with all our efforts only abortions were produced. • When, however, you consider — to use the phraseology of the Stud 800k — that the \ sire was, conceit ; dam, ignorance : you ; need not be surprised that the progeny has not answered expectations. The Education Ordinance was, if anything, more complicated and unworkable than the Eoads Ordinance. No one could do anything under it, without ' consulting j everybody else. If one part of the \ machinery broke down or became im- \ perative, every thing; stopped. If the \ Education Committee, the proud mother i of effete school committees, became ener- : vated, the paralysis extends to the districts. It matters not whether any one ; distinct is sufficiently opulent or popu- i lated to bear the burdens imposed by the | Ordinance, and is desirous of educating its youtk ; if the ''Head Centre" is paxa- ) lized, it is not allowed to exercise the \ privilege. This, however, has one advan- I tage, that of equality. If one district is I not educated, 'why should another ? & the name of common sense, let us all start fair. Let us all sail in the same boat ' If the rising generation in any particular part is to be bred in ignorance, let all be. /Why should the " Stick-in-the-Mud District," point the finger of ecora at the " Bog-trotter's. District r" Being a philosopher, you will at once see the justice and wisdom of such a course. The Ordinance has been passed upwards of iovx years, and we have at last roached this ; position, which is jolly to say the least of it. To descant fully on the merits of ; this remarkable ordinance, will I && occupy greater space than I can command at the present, I will reserve it therefor for my next. . Tours, Ac. - TIMOTHY SNOOjg^