The Daily Telegraph. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3882, 28 December 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1883.

It is more than three years since, during a personal interview with Mr Ballaticc, that the ex-Treasurer was pleased to express his regret that the Daily Tei.koraph had not supported the Ministry of Sir George Grey. Previously to Sir George Grey's assumption of tho Premiership the Grey-Macandrcw party had few more zealous supporters in the 'newspaper Press than it had in (his journal. Sir George Grey in tho North, and Mr Maeandrow in the South, were fighting the battle of Provincialism. The Constitution was menaced, and there was nothing more natural than that the founder of that Constitution on the one hand, and on tho other the lii-iu who had raised his province to an unexampled height of prosperity by means of the institutions created by that Constitution, should strive together for its maintenance. There was but one policy with which those two men should have" linked their n.-imon. They fought hard while there seemed a chance of victory, and then Ihcir names were never more heard of in connection with that memorable struggle. They surrendered unconditionally to the enemy: they severed the ties that bound Ihem to a distinctive policy and a distinctive party, and Sir George drew oft' in a direction where none of his old friends could follow him. _ Centralism, pure and simple as wo have it now, had not been in force two years when Sir Geoi'fo Grey was called to form a Cabinet. Although in 1.577 the colony had been committed to .'i policy of public works, and had already squandered millions of money, it was not too late to turn the tide of waste and extravagance: it was not too late to return to a system of government that, in rendering the'provinces separately liable for the 'interest and sinking fund on the cost of public works undertaken \vithin their borders, would have checked both extravagance and waste. N« Ministry eonld have had a better opportunity of practising the virtues that it had failed to observe in its predecessors, and of avoiding the errors and blunders it had denounced in those whom it: succeeded. Instead, however, of attempting cither the one or the other Sir Gnorye Grey's Administration appeared to revel in office as a homeless waif might do in a feather bed. There never was, perhaps, such a time in New Zealand as then when everything appeared to bo directed with a. view to" tho exhibition of incapacity or folly. It is almost painful_ to recall the conduct of public business during those two years, a period that was marked by tho growing disaffection of the- natives, by the" weakening of the credit of the colony, and by tho attempt t<, shako the HeriivUy of investments in land. During that period Provincialism was ;is completely forgotten as though it had never had existence, and not an effort was made to restore a Constitution under which J/he colony had so greatly prospered. Four years'have elapsed since Sir George Grey and his immediate followers have been consigned to a position of political helplessness, and flu's is now what, tho Wanganui Herald (Mr Balance's paper) has to say of existing hisfttutioiis: —" If one makes a careful review of tho history of County Council and Road Bn,-,rd legislation since the passing of the Abolition Act in IST') ho will arrive at the conclusion that tho whole cause of tho collapse is due, not, to local incapacity, but to chopping and changing in tho legislation which has been going on, and above all to the bad faith which has been shown over promises on which tho local bodies depended for the successful administration of tho system. Tho inducements held out, at, the time of Abolition in the shape ot subsidies were withdrawn beforo the five years had elapsed—a term embodied in -the Counties Act. Major Atkinson had other proposals in the form of "substantial endowments" which were to supply the place of the revenues he wanted io congn/it/nfe. Now, WO put it to any councillor or ratepayer whether that second promise has been kept, either in the letter or spirit, ? Where are the "substantial endowments" which wore to maintain the local bodies in a position to make and maintain their roads? We do net think that anyone will roply that, they arc to be found in the Roads and Bridges Act. This Act has virtually broken down in its essential features. It was to depend, as far as tho counties were concerned, on the l;nid fund, and thisbeinjra minus quantity the Treasurer has to fall back on loan ! But how are the Road Boards situated ? Their substantial endowments, were to come out of the Trust. Funds in the form of small loans, for which the bodies wore to return the capital and inforest in the shape of !> por centpT annum. Hi)wm:iiiy "Road Hoards have taken advantage of this " substantial endowment'r" How many of thorn could do so if they wero inclined? The system of subsidies could have been made fair and equitable— it, could haA'o been made exclusively applicable to now works, mid. colonisation mitfht lifivc been continued without a hitch. It is therefore quite clear that, tho demoralisation which has set in is due to broken promises, experimental and tentative legislation of the crudest character, and to the deprivation of revenues essential to the performance of functions which the local bodies iii'u called on io perform. We lately met a settler, the chairman of a neighboring county, who said he had never known

so unsatisfactory \\ slate of affairs in connection with local government, and that, thomrh lie r-rid been an Abolitionist, ho had lost lieart in the future of local government. The history of the Wa.Vanui County Council is a perfect illustration of the defects of the system generally. It is useless to sniTU'cst remedies while the colonising power in " substantial endowments" is absent. A .system without the sinews of war is a, mockery. How cm the country lie settled and roads 7)iade without money ? While bogus railways are being constructed for the benefit of private individuals, the true work of colonisation, is neglected and the .settlers ruined.