The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, JULY 5, 1879.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 203, 5 July 1879, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, JULY 5, 1879.

In the matter of local self-government the town of Carterton has of late been a little unfortunate. It is true it , carried off the honor of being the countytown of Wairarapa West, but this triumph has not been attended by much material advantage. Opinions have been divided as to whether it was

better for it to be governed by the Highway jßoard, the Local Board, or by a ■municipal'corporation, and as yet these differences have not come to a satisfactory issue. Past experience in the Wairarapa proves that a Highway "Board, however valuable it may bo in opening up outlots and inlets to a town, does but very, little for the town itself. A Local Board is much more 'useful in the latter.- respect, Thereis not a township in the Wairarapa which has npt had reason to be thankful for many advantages derived from the Local Board Act, and it lias been a decided loss to Carteuton that its own Local Board, through some inadvertence, ran off the line and came to grief, Municipal institutions have been, however, the best of all methods of local selfgovernment for pushing townships ahead, and it is in our opinion a matter of some regret that so much opposition has been manifested to the proposals repeatedly made in favor of constituting Carterton a borough. It is very evident that Masterton advanced much more lapidly under the Municipal Act than under the Local Board ordinance. The Government subsidies, the publicans' licenses, and other small pickings it has enjoyed since it lias become aborough, has enabled it make headway with its public works, and to construct a very presentable framework of a town, It is not quite certain that all the advantages hitherto enjoyed will be continued in the future, indeed it will be extremely doubtful whether the Government subsidy will be available to municipalities after the current year. I 1 or this reason we think Carterton has been unfortunate in not having adopted the Act and got its share of the Government expenditure while the money was obtainable. We believe there is a strong feeling in Carterton among some settlers against the Act on the score of the rates under it being a tax on the community, J t is, however, now-a-days just impossible to avoid taxation, and it makes very little difference whether a man pays to a Highway Board, a Local Board, or a Borough, In either case he will pay much about the same amount annually, and it is far wiser not to look at the rate to be paid but at the benefit to be derived, rio long as the Government subsidy is continued, any town that can become a municipality and does'nt, is simply throwing away decided and distinct advantages which may not recur. There has always been a mistaken prejudice against rates in the Wairarapa, We remember that some thirteen or fourteen years ago, the Wellington Provincial Government were giving a subsidy of £2 for every £1 raised locally for road purposes, This was a thing that was too good to last, In some country districts little road boards thrived and fattened on this grant in a marvellous manner. A settler of small means would pay his rates without a murmur, knowing that he not only got a road to his property through them, but also could, if he desired, get employment at good wages from the Board, In the Wairarapa, however, settlers iought against rates, and the golden Government harvest was exhausted before this district could reap it, It is a suicidal policy to miss public money for the want of a little public spirit, Carterton yet has a chance of getting (should the snbsidies keep up a year or two longer) a share of the good things which are still going, and we trust those who are opposing the adoption of the Municipal Act will consent to give it a trial. If they do we feel certain that in the long run they will not repent taking such a step, or find that putting a new horse in harness will be trusting to a dangerous animal which cannot be easily and readily kept under control.