The Bruce Herald. "Nemo me impune lacesset." TOKOMAIRIRO, SEPTEMBER 5, 1879.

Bruce Herald, Volume XII, Issue 1137, 5 September 1879, Page 31

The Bruce Herald. "Nemo me impune lacesset." TOKOMAIRIRO, SEPTEMBER 5, 1879.

A circtjla.ll has been issued fr»m the Colonial Secretary's office to all the Counties throughout the Colon y, asking for returns, showing the income and expenditure of each County Council for the year ending 31st of March last. Particulars as to salaries paid to Chairmen or other persons, expenditure on public works, indebtedness, and all amounts borrowed, are also required. This is a pretty certain indication that the Government intend to investigate the Counties administration, and to compare totals with the former Provincial institutions, in order to draw conclusions as regards financial and administrative success under the present system. We question very much whether the probable results will hold out any inducement for a contcrap-* lated change in the constitution of local bodies. Some of the for election advocate a considerable increase in the size of the counties, while others almost wish to do away with them altogether, and propose a wider circle of dominion, as well as some limited borrowing powers for Road Boards. "Whatever the intentions of the present Government may.be, even supposing that they might remain in office, we fail to see any necessity for a material change in the present County system, with the one exception perhaps, of forbidding all salaries to County chairmen, so as to reduce the expenses for administration to a minimum ; •r, in other words, to pay those officials only, who are really actively employed and necessary in carrying on the public works of all these bodies, and the efficial duties in connection therewith. In look- ( ing back on' the former reckless extra* vaganco exhibited by the various provincial Gorernments of New Zealand, especially with regard to salaries, even the whole of the County Councils put together, must still fall far short as compared te the expenses of administration of the former provincial institutions, and when the poor province of Nelson, for instance, paid annually the immense sum of £16,000 to a swarm of idle hangers-on, half of whom had almost nothing to do. We therefore express our doubts as to any inducement for material alteration in the County system being likely to arise from the results of the returns askeJ for by the Colonial Secretary.