ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 751, 18 November 1867, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

WE DO NOT IDENTIFY OURSELVES IN ANY WAY WITH THE OPINIONS EXPEE3SED BY OUK COEItESPONDENTS. ■©> (to the editob op the southland times.) THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION ACT, Sir, — In the leading article on the " Municipal Corporation Bill," which appeared in your issue of the 11th inst., you state that " there is no town in the entire Colony that could be more benefitted by the adoption of this Act, than Invercargill." To this opinion I must on behalf of myself and, 1 believe, a very large number of the holders of property in the town, beg to express my dissent. Judging from the history of the Town Board, I cannot conclude that it was a beneficial institution. Short as was its career, its peculiar feature was extravagance : it raised by rating between four and five thousand pounds. Its outstanding liabilities amount to twenty-three thousand two hundred and fifty-seven pounds, twelve shillings, (£23,257 12s) with three years' interest to be added. What has been done with this large sum of money ? Tay-street gravelled, and very badly so; the footpaths in Esk-street, and two or three other streets made ; some ditches dug ; a few posts put up, supposed to be for lamps, which have long since been extinguished; a wooden box, called an office; and the "Town Board umbrella," funds to erect which, by the way, if I recollect right, were principally, if not exclusively, supplied by private, subscription, although the sightly edifice was erected under the auspices of the Board. Dee-street, Clyde-street, and part of Tweed-street — The footpaths of the first and drainage of all of them have been made by the G-overnmenfc, and well made. Part of Esk-street has been metalled by private subscription ; that part leading to the railway station, gravelled by the Government. A good deal of ditching, the forming of some of the side streets, with their footpaths, has been done by prison labor, Thus it

vould appear that the most substantial j rad important works in the town have i jeen constructed by the Government, or i Drivate enterprise, under the supervision ; )f the Government. The bait of the i police court fines and penalties being landed over to the Municipal Corporation, < tnav be very well in large towns, such : is "Dunediu, where the sums derived i from that source are respectable, but [ am inclined to think they would barely suffice to pay my Lord Mayor's salary. Even in Dunedin where the population is Large, and a fair proportion of it wealthy, when possibly they can afford to pay rates, the corporation came to grief shortly after its commencement. Here 1 fancy we are blighted with a plethora of Government. It is bad enough to have a Provincial Council, but to require a duodecimo and if possible more imperfect edition of self- Government, in the shape of a Mayor, who will have to be paid, and 1 , nine Councillors who will want to be paid, i or they won't attend regularly, a. paid J clerk, a ditto city surveyor, ditto assessors, ; ditto collectors of taxes, ditto everybody who can possibly manage to get hold of anything, not to mention printing, stationery, &c, &c, is absurd. The introduction of such a system may be very well for those who, having no property, are desirous depriving their neighbors who have, of some portion of it, in the hopes of being able to obtain a share of the plunder ; but to the owners of property it will simply be ruinous, nor will they have even the satisfaction of knowing that their properties are being improved by a judicious expenditure of the sums of which they are yearly mulct, and which will be annually swallowed up in all the paraphernalia of the mayoralty. The honor and glory of touching one's hat to "my Lord Mayor," as he stalks about the streets resplendent in previously unknown broad-cloth, will hardly prove a sufficient balm for the wounded pocket. Time and circumstances have pretty well defined the business part of the town, which will probably suffice for its requirements for a year or two, and which is in very good order. If the town streets and drams require such immediate and urgent attention, the remedy is in our own hands. " The Local Improvement Ordinance, 1866," a perfectly simple and thoroughly just one, provides in its second section, that if a majority of persons occupying property, liable to be rated in any sfcreet — that majority occupying at least one half the frontage — shall represent to the Superintendent that they are willing to be rated for the improvement of their street, he shall cause such works to be immediately proceeded with. Under this Ordinance, the present Government staff supervises the construction of the works, and collection of rates ; thus the ratepayer has the satisfaction of knowing that his money is expended on boua fide improvements and not frittered away m payi * an official staff. It" the side draiu in iilsk-street, leading to the railway si don is dangerous in its present state to the children of the inhabitants iv its vicinity, let them inform the Superintendent that they are willing to pay to have it covered in, atid I have no doubt that he will get it done at once. The Municipal Corporation Act is doubtless an admirable and comprehensive measure, one which will probably prove very beneficial to communities ripe for its operation, but I think " The Local Improvement Ordinance, 1866" will suit our present circumstances better. The privilege of being allowed to tax one's self is doubtless an inestimable boon, for my part I must decline exercising it. — Tours, Citizen.