The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 1892. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2394, 11 August 1892, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 1892. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The Legislative Council question is again being revived. The correspondent of the Press says that the Government lias again approached the Governor with regard to the appointments ; that he is willing to appoint 11 members, that is the !) he originally would have appointed and two more to fill the vacancies caused by the death of Sir Harry Atkinson and the resignation of Mr Richmond. The correspondent of the Lyttelton Times, on the other hand, says thereisnota word of truth in this, and that paper is in a better position to obtain correct information than the Press. Another theory has been floated by the opponents of the Government, and it is that the Government does not want to make any fresh appointments, their object being to let the present Council die out, and have only one chamber. We do not believe a word of this; in fact, it could not be done; the Council is a part of the constitution, and the Acts of Parliament would not be valid until they had passed the Legislative Council. Of course the Constitution Act could be amended, but we believe that could only be done by the British Parliament. We place very little reliance on the reports which appear in the Conservative papers with regard to the present Government. But, at the same tiraedhe fact remains that no appointments have been made to the Council. In this respect we are doubtful as to the wisdom of the stand taken by the Government. The supposition is that if the Legislative Council throws out ov destroys their measures the Government will appeal to the country, and if they go back stronger than ever, they will be in a position to insist on the Governor accepting their advice. There can be no .doubt but that they would. The Governor jypuld have to give in then or leave the country in disgrace. But “ there is many a slip between the cup and the lip.” Supposing the Governor refused to grant a dissolution, what then ? Mr Roll.estou would be sent for, and very probably before he could be ousted by a vote of no confidence he he would have put 11 members of his “ own color” in the Legislative Council. It is admitted on all sides that the Council is so weak that it is absolutely necessary to make fresh appointments, and if Mr Rolleston advised the Governor to that effect we do not see how he could refuse, considering that he has already signified his willingness to strengthen that chamber. In such a case we should j-,0 bound hand and foot for years, and it would > u^,ess for us t 0 ° l( r ct Liberals, for their would be thrown out by an exclusi/° v Upper House. In delaying the appointments, therefore, Mr Ballance is running a great risk. It would be better for him to take what he can get and fill in vacancies as they occur in the future. We also doubt the wisdom of appealing to the country just now. Under triennial" Parliaments appeals to the country should be few and far between, and no Government should take such a course without great provacation. But that is not our chief objection. The Government’s new taxation is not yet fully understood. The Conservatives are endeavouring to make the farmer,'; believe that ail the taxation has been thrown on their own shoulders and that the towns are escaping scot free, and nothing will take that notion out of their heads so effectually as their own experience. When the fanners have paid the Laud Tax and find they have paid less than previously, they will see how the Conservatives have been trying to hood-wink them, they will be able to sec for themselves, that they have been fairly treated and they will have nothing but contempt for those who have been trying to mislead them. We have not the remotest idea as to what the intentions of the Govern-

men t are ; no doubt they have good and valid reasons for their actions, but at the same time we cannot help thinking that ostensibly their conduct involves risks which in the interests of the country they ought not to incur. BY-LAWS. Anotheh set of by-laws upset. Mr M. fScannell has upset the by-laws of the Geraldine County Council, and mulcted that body in costs. It does not matter on what grounds they were pronounced invalid; it is sufficient they are so, and the fact adds another to the many lessons local bodies have received with regard to by-laws. It is very easy to make by-laws : the way to do it is laid down in the Acts of Parliament as plain as a “ pike-staff,” and any ordinary man ought not to go astray in that respect. We believe the members of local bodies would not go astray either if they exercised ordinax-y care, and were not so stingy over them. The law provides that full publicity shall be given to by-laws, so that the public may know the purport and lodge objections to them if they so desired. This is as it ought to be. It is only right and proper that the people should be thox’oughly informed of the proposals contained in such enactments, and an opportunity given them to appeal against anything which may oppress them unduly. Last month we had complaints from Geraldine residents regarding the water-race bylaws. They have been made, and the Geraldine people were not aware of their purport until it was to late for them to enter objections. This is what renders by-laws invalid. The local bodies act on the “ penny wise pound foolish ” policy; they will not advertise them properly, and hence all the trouble. All the by-laws which have been upset have been declared invalid, chiefly on this ground. On two occasions we warned two local bodies of this, but they only told us we were fishing for an advertisement. Both by-laws have since been upset, and they had to advertise them, and great expense was thus incurred. The making of by-laws is very simple, as there is nothing in the statutes laid down so cleai’ly, .but it is a most exti'aordinai'y thing that there is scarcely a sound by-law in existence in the district.