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Southland Times, Issue 887, 24 January 1868, Page 2

Sir, — It is good tor a colony .when a subject -of such importance to its well--1 being as that of local self-government is handled in the correspondence columns of the newspaper press with the ability, judgment, and dispassionate tone which characterise the letter which appeared in a late issue of your paper bearing, the signature of "Observer.", It is not in our Province alone that the subject of constitutional re-organisation is engaging attention, for from north to south, we hear the same cry, attended with varying measures of j activity. In some cases a compete paralysis necessitates a review of the past, and a- re-construction of government; in others, new entries of population have demanded, and obtained, a form of independent action, and in all there is more of less an earnest desire for local self-government— that is, the distribution of a certain fixed portion- of -the revenues, derived from within, certain defined areas, by the inhabitants, of the districts the tnsel ves. -—Whatever-may the cause of dissatisfaction with the present state of things, there is one feeling common to nearly all alike— whether they call themselves the Colonial or the Provincial party,-— it is, ! that' the days of:" provincial legislation have come to an end, and that , the time has arrived when populous and important outlying districts should have, by a law. of. the General Assembly, a fixed portion of "the provincial revenues: just as the Provinces have received a fixed^ portion cf the general revenue. Equal justice to those populations which are remote from a. market ! demands, and will obtain, this/ '" Ofr| \ server'^ starts with advocating the abblition of provincial institutions; and in this, perhaps, we agree; 1 although' 1 would prefer a re-arrangement of provincial; institutions ; that is, I would not disturb i existing provincial boundaries, nor provincial liabilities, unless the necessity was great, and the security unimpaired j but of this more at some other time. Tour correspondent points very significantly to the tendency there is under the Shire Road Board and municipal system to expend on ■ salaries a very, large part, of. the revenue appropriated to Eoad Boards and municipalities. lat once acknowledge the tendency, and admit its development in some cases' in Victoria, but is it not practicable J to- insist, in -the very enact-/ ment which gives the revenue, that in no case whatever shall the amount spent on salaries' exceed ten per cent on the aggregate of the rates raised and the government subsidy? and would it not

v . -— ...ggggg^y-' .ssg be: easy to insist that the r6fcttWls|^T 5 expenditure should .#£:■ submitle^togiiiH the people of the diafrict^nd subsequently to i»a. central board fqf, independent auditors, who might visit ;|he country-. for the purpose of audit, ■-„. excels the governmeivf>-md be Yefused for the next three yeaw ■ . "What is^required is the double cneck^by- local and remote audit In Beveral of the provinces; *B6ad"B6ardr already exißt, receiving two pounds for stery^onß , pound raised within the district"; and' yet we do not hear of any abuse; Make - this system organic instead of spasmodic, and shield iFabout with precautions, and you have what you need* so far, at least. r U <f Qbserver " proceeds to disclose his system of prganisationy which 2 ' consists an. dividing the provinces, into counties-, ' and these' latter into Eoad Districts,!^ according to circumstancesand theconfir- . mation of the country. In this I agree with him. He proceeds to* handle the revenue, and, after deducting the charges now made on account of loans and. for ; > establishments paid by the : .General Government, he would pay 'Lthe .balance into a, consolidated provincial fund out o of which :such Eoad Districfe could be subai- !. dised I'pmiTiensurately with the amount raised^by iocai taxation-", I would here submit for hip consideration whether it / would not be better to retain a certain per centage ' of the ' revenue for rthose ■ ; { works .which are of a character essential to the knitting together of the net work of District. as, fb^ instance, » bridge over a large and difficult river, as over the liakaia .in -Caoterbury, and. the "Wkiitakij. between^ Canterbury and-.-Otagoi Again I would submit whether ' his principle of distribution would notdoanv: injustice^to i those poorer districts ; which,,. owing to: remoteness from a market, or from- possessing leas fertile ' land*, are not able to raise money with , the fame facility as those districts more faivored id these respects ? I would also urge ; on his attention thafe those districts whose land; funds are entirely absorbed, might reasonably expect that a portion, "of ; the,v; 5 reyenues which* have been' derived from them should be 1 restored' gradually for works which otherwise tfiey^.jeould not undertake, viz., protective , works l. Von the; • coast, as at Timaru, OanVarU; aricl' th* Molyneux ? "With respect to: the- form' of Government, which is to siipplant the provincial system, your corrßspondenfa opinion agrees in the main, with the principles publicly enunciated' l*y thes .'■■« iar-seeing^ and ; sound judging Superintenrdent; of- Canterhury ; also rightly re» r cognises 1 that a ; -Province 'once »dismeni»- ; be(gd, as Canterbury virtually is, can no^ longer require or desire the outwardi- . form ofi.pr.pYinciaV entity, with its accompaniments of Superintendent, Council,, and large legislative powers. All un;prejiidical men are fast awakening to the •- fact that the' proviiiciarsystem, as now r <-iirv .-. existence, is cumbrous, expensive, and? unjust. What is required is a multipli- - 1 a \ cation of local centres —each administer-^_ 4irg ith awnitgaira — -eacß'tpay he a pro-" yincial centre with a responsible Central^ Board, having a, ; Chairman nominated by ' the Crowa — or the Shire Council with " elected Chairman ; but .in, neither case ,_, should this central power domineer over the extremities, nor have any power, ex"i - cept strictly Refined, over any revenues"; it shoulii be a check, but not ah adminis^ • trator. — l am, &e.^ v Justice.,, January 15th, 1868.