COUNTY COUNCILS.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 752, 12 April 1877, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCILS.

Sib, —A leading write/ upon the princi pies of political economy gives the principle reasons of a general character in favor of restricting to the ntirow est com pass the intervention of a public authority in the business of a community. Among those enumerated, he staks a democratic constitution, not supported by detno? cratic institutions in detail, not only is not political freedom, but often creates a spirit precisely the reverse; carrying down to tbe lowest grade in socie'y the desire and ambition of political domina • tion.

To what extent that great principle Was carried by the Government and Legislature in abolishing provincialism is p>tent, and to what extent the present Government acknowledge the importance that all classes of the community should hive much to do for themselves in giving the Colony local government, under the head of County Couucils, is also obvious. But, in dealing with tbis question, they practically, demonstrated their apprehension in what the newly created districts districts woald experience in the transition by reserving to themselves that power in the Counties Act, clause 209. They were aware that the privileges and vanities of office would allure the ambitious, the designing, and the untutored, that they would stand opposed to the inteligenco and experience of the true pbilanthio ist. In- the several counties, every phase of the subject has been t>: sted. Some counties here virtually abandoned the Act altogeter, laying the county open to the General Government appointing a Commission. Others have accepted the /ct partially, thereby to a great extent nullifying the whole, and others have accepted the Act in its entirety If we take the action of tha i Waikato County Council, for iuttai.ce. to enforce a tariff unequal in its general bearing—and to posteas an uudue bhare of revinu", at the txpense of bordering Couotiis, we have signs of incapacity to administer a high form of local government. It is laid down as a maxim of government, "If a tax were laid on the " profits of any one branch of productive ** employment, the tax would be virtual'y "an inorease of the cost of production, " and the va'ue of the price of the article •• would be raised accordingly, by which " the tax would be thrown upon the con- " sumers of the commodity, and would

••not affect profit.*," but here, by the action of this County Council, the tax would fall alone upon the profits of a few individuate, and could not possibly effect the consumer, or the trade generally. Again, it is held : " A peculiar tax upon " the income of any class not ballanced " by taxes on other classes is a violation "trf justice, and amounts to a pattial " confkcation." If we were to speculate upon what agency could attain to the late form of Provincialism, we have an interesting proof of that which prompted their ingenuity to invent demands upon the Government upon the one hand, and to avoid embarrassment of financial ad* ministration, to what expediants they would resort on the other. Seeiug the miscarriage of the Act to such an extent under such varied circumstances, the Government seem inclined to endorse the approval of the general action of Kosd Boards, and to accord to them those powera vested in the Superintendent, under certain clauses of the Highways Act, 1874 |A copy of the Circular, I append.] "Colonial Secretary's Office, " Wellington, 19th March, 1877. "Sir,—The Government have under their consideration the desirability of delegating to the Chairman of Highway Bo»rds the powers vested in the Superintendents by tbe Acts enumerated in the sixty-third section of the Auckland Highways Act, 1874. "I should feel obliged if you would let me know, at your earliest convenience, whether your Board desires to accept the delegations, or any of them. ••I have, &c, « Daniel Pollin. ••Chairman Highway Board." By relieving the Counties of these powers, and granting them to Boad Boards, wh« are willing to carry them

onfc, the .-haVje.pnly the I general business of oolleohug and surveyß go for which, they at present appear to be more adapted. Hamilton, 4& April, 1877. ' '' ' '