THE ENDOWMENT OF LOCAL BODIES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 51, 25 February 1881, Page 3

THE ENDOWMENT OF LOCAL BODIES.

• — vAt the County Councl meeting on Monday, an interesting disdssion upon the financial prospects of local bodies was brought on by the following motion of Mr Macarthur, "That a circular be issued to all the County Councils, Borough Councils, and Highways Boards, j asking them to co-operate in bringing influence to bear on the members at present representing their various districts in Parliament, or on candidates offering themselves for election at the. pending general election, to obtain a pledge from such members, that they will do their utmost to compel any Government that may hold the reins of power to assist the local bodies in opening . up the country, by subsidy, land fund,|or f* endowment, as may be most applicable to each special case, and thereby promoting the settlement of the colony, and that a - committee of the whole Council sit immediately to draw up the terms of, such . circular." He said that after the present year their duty would simply be to pass votes for maintenance, as they would have no money left for construction. The necesity of roads was repeatedly referred to, but unless they got assistance from the Government people in the back country would never get roads, as all the money at their disposal would be the l-13th of the deferred payment land receipts, which, from a 7000-acre block, would be enough to make 10 chains of road per annum. If that was to be their position they might as well tell the Government to get the District Engineer to maintain the roads, and resign. They would not, however, throw up the sponge in that way. Ageneral election was pending, and if the local bodies agreed upon a platform they could elect a Parliament strong enough to turn out any Government that refused assistance towarasopening the country. The Wairoa Council and Rangitikei settlers had passed resolutions in favour of endowments of land. Be thought an endowmentof land was not the best of assistance. In some instances they brought in cash, but usually where it was bush land the block was not settled, and remained a slice of dead land, or else it cost more money to make it saleable than the local body had at command. In their policy of retrenchment! the Government made those suffer who bore it most patiently. The local bodies had been patient, but he did not think it wise to be patient any longer. They must have a basis broad enough to induce all local bodies to join in the agitation, for united they could force the present or any Government to submit. They should use their political influence, for the power of the local bodies through their representatives on the Ministry could not be gainsaid. They should be told they must retrench in other directions, in the Education vote, for example, or they could increase some of the taxes, but that the local bodies were determined to have assistance.

After a short discussion in which Messrs Sansnn, Linton, and Rockstrow took part, the motion was carried, and after a brief sitting of the Committee of the whole Council it was resolved to held a special meeting of the Ceußcil next Monday, to discuss the terms of the projected circular.