FRIDAY, MAY 26, 1882. THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT QUESTION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume III, Issue 253, 26 May 1882, Page 2

FRIDAY, MAY 26, 1882. THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT QUESTION.

Within the next few weeks, the local bodies throughout the district will be called upon to answer the que stions contained in the circular addressed by the Government to all country districts. We propose in the present instance to deal only with the more important points tonched upon, and to indicate briefly the answers which should be returned. Question 3, is " should the road districts in each county form ridings of the county?" It appears desirable that they should ; and not only so, but that all county members should belong to road bo*rds so as to guarantee that they should work harmoniously with the inferior executive bodies, and also that all members of the higher body should

by virtue of their office as road commissioners, have a practical knowledge of the district roads ; which are necessarily the feeders of the main, or arterial lines of communication. This proposal is not free from objections, but it is the most satisfactory ontcoine from the present difficulty that appears to be feasible. In no case shonld two executive bodies be allowed to exist. If the County Council chose to undertake the maintenance of both main and district roads, employing its own staff, it should be allowed to do so. But if the Council declined this duty, then the road boards ought to be the working bodies, consulting together by delegates as a County Council, in order to strike the rates required to maintain the main roads of general importance, and apportion the monies at their disposal to the several boards within the County, as is done here now. Counties undertaking the double duty should then be allowed double the rating power they now have, inasmuch as they would have to find funds for both main and district roads.

Inasmuch aa members who have served for a year or two on a local body acquire experience and knowledge of use to their successors, and as it is rare for more than one-third of a newly-elected Board to be composed of new members, it would appear desirable to reply to question 2, that one-third of a Board retiring annually in rotation would be a cheaper and better plan than annual elections of the whole Board. In reply to a subsequent question, we hold that it is generally better to allow a local body to elect its own chairman, as the members soon learn who among them are fit for the office, and have better opportunities of ascertaining a man's fitness than the general body of ratepayers. A triennial rating under the Property Tax Regulations, as proposed would be satisfactory, but the power proposed to be given to the State to purchase at 10 per cent, over owner's valuation seems excessive. In England, assessed values made by official authority, are estimated at 30 per cent, below extreme values, in order to cover market fluctuations, and to avoid objections in the Assesnient Courts; consequently we hold that a right of purchase at 20 per cent, above owner's valuation would afford little enough margin. Upon the whole, we approve of the Rating Bill proposed last year ; but one and all objected very strongly to the fixed values, irrespectivo of quality, placed upon upon Crown and native lands for rating purposes. What was wanted was a fair valuation made by the Crown Lands Commissioners. In order to guard againßt error, and to allow for the fact that prior to the sale and settlement of these lands they are practically unproductive, rating might be struck on twothirds of the value only, instead of on full values. Too much local government is now generally complained of, Bofe administrative oodies or were simply a collective body formed of committees of Road Boards, there would be practically only one local body in each districtA simplification and consolidation of the 24 Acts which now have to be consulted by members of district bodies is fully as much required as any of the other reforms touched on by the circular.