The Premiep and Local Bodies.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 215, 15 September 1904, Page 4

The Premiep and Local Bodies.

EFFORTS TO, DAMAGE THE GOVERNMENT. During his speech at Petone on Monday night Mr Scddon said tfcat 95 per cent, of the members of County Councils throughout the colony were opposed to the Government. Ninety per cent, ol the members of the recent county conference at Wellington had been opposed to the Government. What was tho position '> Every man and woman should be represented on the councils, but at present o nly onethird of the peoplo returned as candidates those whom they wanted. If any roads were relglmired in came tho recommendations from the councils, and when the Government granted the money it was generally found that the roajds went in tho direction of friends of members of these councils. Of course, that did not apply to 'bprough councils—tih€y never went far. It would be a nice test for the Parliament whan proposals were made for amendments in the administration of local affairs. Why, too, askad the Premier, did friends of the Opposition never miss

a chance to secure a seat on an Education Board? It was that no opportunity niftght be missed to damage the Government. Money was asked for when it was known that owing to the stringency of the money market it could not be given. The people were told simply, that the Government ,hod been applied to, and had refused to give the required grant. The Government was then held up as a shocking example.. More than one board, too, hod been given grants for the building of schools in certain places:, and it wus found afterwards that the schools had been erected in other parts. Worse than that, grants for schools had been given, and no schools erected at all ; worse still, those boards came for the grants again. When tlie people wanted to know where the schools were, the boards said, "Oh, blaime the Government." Ho was sorry to say that the Wellington Education Board was one of the greatest of the sinners. He had told them so in Parliament, and lie told them again on the public platform. When the thought came up of the districts where there were no schools-, and other districts where the accommodation was so bad, and one recollected that £3OO had been spent in latrines for the Masterton school, an idea was gained of the Wellington board's extravagance. Why did Oppositionists seek, positions as members of these boards ? Not long ago there was an election at Wellington, and there stood for election the Rev. W. A. Evans, Mr Herdman, M.H.K., and Mr W. Allan. A circular had been sent to the various school committees by Mr S. Atkinson and another gentleman, practically telling them to vote for these three candidates. He (Mi- Seddon) did not know what Mr Herdman knew about the educational requirements of the district ; n0 thought it would be impossible for that gentleman to have the necessary knowledge. Why, then, did Oppositionists stand ? There was only one answer. They were not seeking to get control of the education boards of the colony with the abject of improving educational facilities, but 'in order to use them as machinery against the Government. Then, said Mr, Seddon, there were the local 'bodies, other than the county councils, and he would ask was the power they obtained used in approaching the Government for grants so as to make tilings work smoothly ? If a list of the locul bodies' applications for money was in alio out it would run into more than half a million, The Government could not do It; it wus> as much as he could do to And sufficient for Government needs in the present state of the money market. Then, again, if the Government was liberal, and did its 'best to raise the money for these requirements, the churgo was mado that the Government was increasing unduly the public debt. If these local bodies were sincere they would take what money could be given, but they wanted to make as much trouble as possible, and prejudice the Government in the eyes ol the people.—N.Z. Times.