The Waikato Time AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. THURSDAY, AUG. 2, 1888.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2506, 2 August 1888, Page 2

The Waikato Time AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

THURSDAY, AUG. 2, 1888.

Equal and cxact justtcc to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious ot political.

The question of reform in the system of local government is occupying public attention throughout the colony, Owing to other more pressing matters at present agitating the minds of the people, this particular sul'jfct is not given so much prominence as is justly clue to it. It has, however, a most important bearing on the progress and welfare of the country, which will ere long lift up its voice to obtain arevised system by which the people can manage their own local affairs on a more simple and economical plan. When the Provincial Councils were abolished, with their legislative machinery that conflicted with the General Government and Legislature, it was thought that the Counties combined with Road Boards would provide rf substitute acceptable to the country at large. But although we perceive in the county system as it was framed an admirable principle, wo have in reality but the shadow of self-admin-istration in practice, the substance of it has passed to, or was never given up, by the bureaucracy of Wellington. The whole public business of the country and provincial districts is virtually controlled by the departments at the political seat of Government. The corrupt system of bribing local bodies by means of subsidies and special grants, which was introduced by the General Assembly to soothe the irritation created by the abolition of the provinces, has given

birth to such a he;ip of abuses, mismanagement, ami general emasculation, that the (.wintry has lost its spirit of self-reliance, and uovor acquired or studied tho art of local government. Tho principle itself has degenerated into a voritablo caricature; a prematuvo decrepit loaded with debts. Wo have on many occasions discussed this question seriously from a broad national standpoint, unbiassed by narrow local influences. It is a very grave matter to tho country, and to the settlors who are removed from the opinions of the largo contres of population, to make every lawful effort to remove the glaring anrf vicious anomalies of over-govern-ment that is peculiarly characteristic of the state of New Zealand. Strangers come amongst us and stand amazed at the cumbersome mass of administrative machinery with which we have covered the face of the country, and are undecided whether most to ridicule the stupidity that seems habitual to us in all our political acts, or to admire the remarkable patience, of asinine degree, with which we bear the stripes and burdens imposed upon us. Tho numerous array of separate and elective bodies which permeate our structure are so utterly incongruous that they bear their own condemnation with them ; common sense is entirely adverse to their existence. We must aim at their consolidation under one comprehensive system enjoying plenary functional powers, and thoroughly representative of the wishes of the settlers. The present order of things is no longer tolerable, and now that the plums from subsidies have ceased to delight the open maws of a host of greedy corporations, this will be more keenly felt than before. We must recover the complete control of all local affairs and banish the centralising agency, and its pernicious influences, of the General Government. Our readers can refer to previous articles in this journal in which we have indicated the direction that reform in the present system of Local Government should take. In support of our views, which is also in accord with public feeling in other parts of the colony, we need only point to the far-reach-ing statesmanlike Bill for the reform of local Government in England introduced in the Imperial Parliament by the Salisbury Ministry. The scope of the measure is to enlarge the powers of the County Councils, increase their functions by relegating to them much of the work hitherto centred in the public departments, and also absorbing many existing corporate bodies which are considered superfluous. That is precisely the course we should endeavour to pursue here. Widen the responsibilities of the County Councils, entrust them with the care of local educational, hospital, charitable relief, police and public works. There should be but one rate,-levying body, and that one should be the County Council under enlarged powers, such as we have sketched, and as they are adopting in England, and have adopted elsewhere. The revenue collected by the Council would be expended in the several districts where raised, excepting contributions to any general fund devoted to purposes in which the whole County was alike interested. The highest form of self-government that can alford the greatest contentment to a people is that which is based on simplicity and economy, and has no opposing elements beyond it to clash with it, or destroy its efficiency.