THE INCOMPETENCE OF THE COUNTY COUNCILS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XX, Issue 3402, 20 June 1877, Page 2

THE INCOMPETENCE OF THE COUNTY COUNCILS.

Sir, — The above has received a very considerable amount of attention from the New Zealand Press, and both you and your contemporary, tlie Herald, have endeavoured (o bring under public notice the shortcomings and blunders of our own County Council in particular, while those in the neighbouring districts have been pretty well taken to task by the Patea Mail and Rangitikei Advocate. Until I read. your leader of this morning I was beginning to think that the season of blundering had almost passed away, and that order was being restored, if not in all parts of the colony, at least in ours. There can be no doubt but that the public are much indebted to the Press forgiving the matter so much attention ; nevertheless, the exposure throws a sad slur on the whole colony, and must make us appear rather ridiculous in the eyes of our neighbours in the sister colonies, who have until ,very recently always looked upon the New Zealand colonists as a people pretty far advanced in politics, and well qualified for carrying out representative institutions. We know for a fact that many of our acts and measures connected with our public works policy have been very narrowly watched by the Press and politicians of Victoria and New South Wales ; and a very considerable amount of anxiety has been manifested as to the result of the great change in our constitution, produced by the abolition of provincialism. Being always inclined for great reforms themselves, they naturally look to any other country that has ventured to make any radical changes in its existing forms of administration, more especially if those changes affect the local self-government of the country districts. Now, from our reputation for political wisdom, it wa3 reasonable to expect that any change we might introduce would be for the better, and that there would at once be seen a decided improvement in the local affairs of this colony. No doubt they have been wofnlly disappointed. But now comes the rub : Who are to blame, the people or their legislators 1 1 fear both have got out of their depth, — the former by showing a reckless anxiety for a change, and a large amount of selfconceit in fancying that they could undertake to govern themselves by a system that was yet in embryo, and of which they actually knew nothing, and are now showing that they know less ; and the latter, by a great amount of political weakness, and an indecent haste to pander to public opinion, by sweeping away a i system that was well understood, and by which the resources of the country had been developed at an unprecedentedly rapid rate of progress, while on the other hand they were wholly unprepared with something better to take its place. At the close of the last session of the Parliament, we were deprived of the machinery with which for the last twenty years we hud become familiar, and had successfully governed ourselves at, t believe, the cheapest rate. No sooner did the present Ministry find out that nothing had been done to carry on the .Government in the meantime than the colony was inundated with circulars and proclamations calling on ratepayers and electors to form County Councils, Harbour Boards, Boards of Health, Managers of Hospitals, &c, &o. The eagerness that many had evinced for a change, and their readiness to take a part in the future management of affairs, soon brought forward a large number to the rescue, aud while I may admit a few were competent for the duty, a large number rnshed into the field who have shown themselves entirely ignorant, and in not a few instances wholly indifferent, as to whether they were qualified or not. TIII3 brings me to a scrutiny of our Wanganui County Council, which has proved itself so thoroughly incompetent to perform the duties required by the Act, lam free to admit that some of the members ought to be able to carry out the Act, but it may. be they are overruled or outvoted by those who I am sorry to observe have the majority in most of our new boards and counties: But be this as it may, there i 3 no denying the fact that much depends and is required of the chairman, who ought to feel that he has more responsibility, if not more knowledge, than the other members. This is the view you and your contemporary have taken of the position of Chairman of our County Council. On more than one occasion you have given him credit for abilities and qualifications tluifc vary faw can discover he possesses. 1 quite admit that he is a very uhrewd, keen, man of business, aud any one that has ever had any transactions with him will bear me out in this. But up t) the present time I am not aware that he has ever done any public act that has benefited this town or district, while .the general opinion of him is that he surpasses most of his fellow settlers in looking after number one. But now he has been made Chairman of a Council, anJ is clothed with responsibility, the settlers have discovered he ia a failure, and when weighed in the balance of public opinion he is found wanting. In conclusion, it is to be hoped that by watching the working of tha comity scheme some improvements may be

suggested, or else abandon it altogether and keep to the road boards, which people understand, si ml are capable of carrying out for the benefit of tlie ratepayers.— I am, &c, Pko Bono Publico. June IS. I