THE H.B. TRIBUNE. MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1911. LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 256, 16 October 1911, Page 4

THE H.B. TRIBUNE. MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1911. LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

Oxce again the shadow of a Local Government Bill has appeared upon the horizon. At present the shadow is dim and far distant and the substance which casts the shadow is only to be found in an end of session promise from the Premier. Truly an intangible proof that the old ghost which has haunted Parliament since the mid-Seddon days will eventually materialise. Let us absorb what comfort we may from the Premier’s statement, however, to assist in keeping him up to the mark with his promise. It is sound sensible policy not to introduce such an important piece of legislation in the dying session of a Parliament. It would have been perfect madness to attempt its passage this'year and. further, it would have provided a tremendous stock of contentious matter for election side issues. If the lull is faithfully circulated early next year. Sir Joseph will have done the best thing possible to secure its proper consideration. If it is the comprehensive measure which it seems we may justifiably hope for from his utterances, it will be one o? peculiar interest to the local government bodies anti the people of the districts under thenjurisdiction. Local bodies should be afforded full opportunity of discussing the provisions and where possible Government should cull wisdom from their deliberations. But it will not be well for the Premier to take too much guidance from the local government representatives, because (country bodies especially) are. as a rule. exceptionally conservative. We must also look at the position from this point : Any system of local government which aims at becoming effective in New Zealand must provide fur the wiping out of many paltry self-governing districts. Petty counties, road and town boards and

such like impedimenta of parochialism must he done away with ami bodies with wider powers, stronger finance and more effective administrative machinery brought into existence. The local body delegates who are likely to discuss this question will, in a great many instances, represent little struggling districts, which have been created purely and simply by a spirit of parochialism. These districts like to continue their villainous engineering patch work construction anti administrative waste under the fond delusion that they are not being robbed to help some other district. The enjoyment of petty authority blinds them to the fact that they are robbing themselves. Delegates from these bodies will not like change, but the great majority of the people will unhesitatingly approve an attempt to broaden and increase the efficiency of local government.