The Tuapeka Times. THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1871. "Measures, not Men."

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 169, 4 May 1871, Page 5

The Tuapeka Times. THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1871. "Measures, not Men."

Somewhat less than three years ago the Government, in a fit of good humour, called upon the miners, business men, and settlers of Tuapeka to take the management of their commonage into their own hands. A similar invitation was addressed to the residents in the Wakatipu district. The parties then called upon joyously accepted the trust thus contided to them, and in each case duly constituted bodies — Boards of Wardens — were appointed to manage the commonages, and all the interests connected with them. With the immediately sub-

sequent history .of the Wakatipu Board we are not intimately acquainted; but those of the Tuapeka bocfy we have good reason to remember — for during the first six months of its existence it sat almostweekly ; and its sittings were not short and formal, but n Jengthy soclerunt, extending sometimes iVom noon far into the small hours. Of

all its meetings our columns contained pretty full reports. The responsibilities of office the Board certainly did not shirk. Though an unpaid body, it brought to bear on its duties a large amount of diligence and perseverance, and a very intelligent understanding of its subject ; and the results remain. The Board, however, has ceased fco be. When the term of office of the last Board had expired, a day was duly gazetted for the nomination of their successors iv office. By some oversight, the number of persons nominated was not sufficient to form a Board according to the Regulates. This is a very common oi^rrrence in the election of Road Boards, School Committees, and other local representative bodies; and the remedy is well known and simple. A-ii other day for election or nomination is fixed, and the temporary hitch obviated. This plain course the Government did not choose to adopt ; why, we have never heard. They seem to have been glad of putting an end to the Board, without having to incur the odium of actually directly abolishing it. The same opportunity was not afforded them in the case of the Wakatipu Board, and it still continues to discharge its duties, and apparently to discharge them with advantage to the district. That it does so also to the satisfaction of the Government may be assumed from the fact that the services of the Inspector were dispensed with, and that everything in connection with the assessment is left to its discretion. The Inspector, or Chairman, here, pays them an occasional visit ; but that his visits are merely formal is evident from their rarity and brevity. A day or two, every year or so, will not admit of the transaction of much business. The services of the Board save the country at least £400 a year in clear cash, while the value of their services to the district it would be difficult to estimate at a money value. In conjunction with the abolition — for abolition it virtually was — of the Tuapeka Board, there are one or two considerations which appear to us somewhat puzzling. That the action of the Board was beneficial to the district, is undoubted ; that it was advantageous to the country at large, there is equally little room to doubt. During the first year after its establishment, we believe the revenue from cattle assessment was nearly doubled. Why, then, was it not continued 1 Why did the Government so eagerly j

take advantage of what may be called a technical point to do away with it ? If any of our readers are able to furnish us with information on these points, we shall feel grateful. We hope that the three Members for the districts embraced in the jurisdiction of the Board will make it their business to enquire at the meeting of the Council. One 3 of them, from his intimate connec'dp>ft with the Board, must be thoroughly conversant with the matter, and we hope he will take it up. That a returir'to the old pysfem, pr ip some similar system,,

is necessary is evident to all who are at all acquainted with the haphazard arrangement by which licenses to depasture stock are at present granted.