RETRENCHMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 185, 7 August 1890, Page 2

RETRENCHMENT.

(To tho Editor.)

Sit*,—Dr. Laishlay, Mr Burton and Mr Ewington think there is room for another political association. I think so too; but let its object be more local government. Mr Moas appears to bo in favour.of two for the colony under the Central Government; Sir Robert Stoub would, under the' Swiss plan, give four to the North Island, which would be much better. What is really wanted is more centres from which settlement may proceed; In-the early days there was only one—Auckland. Now there are on the fiaafc Coast, Gisborne, Tauranga, Thames, Wbangarei, and Bay of Islands : on the West Coast, Raglan, Kaipara' and Hokianga; and inland are the railway centres for distribution of population and collection of produce. If additional powers were given to tho counties, each of those centres could be utilised for these purposes, and if the constitution was altered so as to allow the counties to be represented in the Upper House, the same system of economy that is now brought to bear on the local management of countiee would be serviceable in the settlement of our waste lands, and the careful expenditure of the revenue of the colony. And if, as i* asserted in tho papers, or was asserted some time ago, one man in every ten of the population is dependent on the Government, no further argument is needed to.prove that the expenditure of tho public revenue should be more widely distributed in the colony ; and this can only be done in two ways—extending tho power of the counties, and encouraging the settlers in the colony to become the holders of the land.—lam, elc, - Citizrn.