LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 487, 6 April 1869, Page 3

LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT.

On no subject of general interest have the people of New Zealand heard so much, and on no subject has there been such diversity of opinion. Mr Stafford's famous declaration in his Nelson speech—that the table of the House of Representatives would groan with petitions in favor of local self-gov-ernment—may be taken to represent the extreme view on one side, and it becomes a question of very considerable interest to know now many petitions were actually presented during last session of the Assembly, from what districts they came, and by how many persons they were signed. A day or two ago we received the annual " Journal of the House of Representatives," and from certain entries therein, we are enabled to throw some light on the subject. We may remind our readers that the party in favor of Mr Stafford's local selfgovernment scheme have frequently said that petitions signed by about 15,000 persons were presented in its favor. The following list will tell its own tale:—

Settlers of Mangawai and Kaiwaka, county Marsden, Auckland, 43 ; inhabitants of the Clutha district, Otago, 165; ratepayers of parish of Maungakaramea, Auckland, 20; landowners of Waikouaiti, Otago, 153; settlers in the district of Whangaroa North, Auckland, 60; electors of Pictbn, Marlborough, 118 ; settlers at Waipu, Auckland, 50; settlers at Mongonui, Auckland, 67; settlers of Orari and North Orauwharo, County of Marsden, Auckland, 42 ; electors of the Pelorus, Marlborough, 105; settlers on the Bay of Islands district, Auckland, 45; Highway trustees of district of Whangaroa, Auckland, 5; inhabitants of town and district of Oamaru, Otago, 227; Maketu Road Board, Auckland, Bettlersjin the district of Maungaturoto,

county of Marsden, Auckland, 17; inhabitants of the Wairarapa district, "Wellington, 105 ; inhabitants of Timaru and Gladstone, Canterbury, 1002; settlers of the Wairarapa district, "Wellington, 37; settlers of Port Albert, Auckland, 25; settlers at "Wangarei Heads, Auckland, 45; inhabitants of electoral district of Wanganui, Wellington, 704 ; electors and inhabitants of the Thames Goldfields, Auckland, 490 ; inhabitants of the Clutha district, 0tag0,27; settlers at Maungakaramea and parishes, Marsden, Auckland, 50; members of Highway Boards, Northern Division, Auckland, 54; electors of Oamaru, Otago, 81 j settlers of district of Lower Mataura, Southland, 40; inhabitants of the Kaikoura, Marlborough, 127 ; residents of Hokianga, Auckland, 64; inhabitants of the western district of Southland, 245. From the above it will be seen that, admitting among the petitions all that can possibly be construed to mean prayers for local self-govern-ment in any shape, the total number of signatures is only 4,223 or about one fifty-fifth part of the European population of the Colony.— Lyitelton Times.