Nelson Evening Mail FRIDAY, APRIL 26,1895.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXIX, Issue 97, 26 April 1895, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail FRIDAY, APRIL 26,18 95.

Considering that Parliament will probably meet in less than two montb.B it is high time that those concerned shoujd know something about tho Local Government Bill, which i 9 to be introduced by the Government. Mr Seddon is completely pledged to deal with the question duringjthecoming session, and it is only right that those who for yoavs have bad the management of local affairs should be consulted as to proposed changes. It has for long been the practice to submit draughts of proposed measures allecting local bodies to them £or their opinioD. This wati done lately with regard to the Fair Rent Bill, 'which Mr McKenzio intends to introduce, but possibly the disapproval with which that scheme met has determined Mr fceddon to go on with his Local Government Kill, whether or not its provisions meet tho approval of Municipalities, County Councils, and other governing bodies. We do not kuow what the sources of information of the Christchurch Press may be as to the intentions of the Government on the matter, but some time ago it made the following statement : — " Humours of the provision.-! of tlie Jsill have renchetl us, unit we iiinlerstaml that tboy are likely to include the sweeping away of all existing Couuty, Borough, and Municipal Councils, all Road Boards, Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards, and, in fact, all existing machinery for local self-Government, and the substitution of four local bodies for the whole colony, wbivh Bhall escape all tho pgwore that

the General Government: does not care to retain. Theie is, wo believe, every probability that the new proposals will be in the main such as we have foreshadowed. The Bill will give the tranchise, and with it the power to levy rates end taxes, to everyone who lias resided for three months in the Colony." That the present Bystem of local government is too cumbrous and expensive can hardly be denied. Every little local body in tun country and every municipality requires its staff and officers, and there is often great difficulty in getting fitting men to serve on the many existing Boards and Councils. By amalgamation of contiguous borough, and districts there might be great saving of expense, and increase of efficiency. There should also in a well-constructed measure provision that outlying districts should receive thoir fair share of expenditure. But if ihe present system costs too much money and is unnecessarily complicated, little can be sail in favour of the scheme sketched out in the Christchurch Press. With only four bodies for minor government in the colony, and iho disappearance of all special municipal government of towns and really local government for the country, the state ot things would be intolerable. A rosideut of Nelson would have little chance of having a grievance rectified it! ho had to appeal to a sort of Parliament, perhaps sitting in Chriatchurch. We all know the applications which are ma-io every fortnight to tho City Council — to havo footpaths tarred, to havo willows cut down, to have premises connected with drain?, to abate nnisances, and many others which it is the right of the p-ople to have some authority on the spot to attend to. Even if Nelson were the meeting place of ouo of the four bodies the Council, or whatever it might be called, would be oc so grand a scale that humble folk miuht look in vain to it for redress of grievances which though apparently small might seriously affect their health and daily comfort, Another v<-ry serious question is the proposal, which Ministers have at least more than hinted at, to give the municipal franchise to those who do not pay rate?. In Nelson we flatter ourse|ves that the City Council has been reasonably economical, I he town is fairly well cared for, yet compared with other places tho rates aro not high, and though wo have the gasworks and waterworks as assets the debt is moderate. At present as the bank overdraft is larger than usual an effort is being made to avoid works wb.cb, though desirable aro not absolutely necessary, in order to place tho City entirely at its ease in the matter of fiuance. If nu Act with- provisions such an are suggested wero passed economy would be thrown to the winds. The majority of electors would not be affected by an increase of the rates, however great, because they would not have to pay them, and tho large liberality of expenditure might be expected which is usual in those who have unsbecked control of other people's money. Again if all the municipalities were to^disappoar it would be rather hard on .those which had, li!;o Kelson, been habitually economical. They would find themselves deprived of the proper reward of economy, and the inhabitants would regret that they hud not mortgaged the future for extensive town improvements. Iv (he old days of the Provinces iv New Zealand certain polil<oons used to sny that (ho best policy for each Province was to get into debt as much as possible, as sooner or later the liability would bo taken over by the General Government. Tho question ol charitable aid is also a most serious one. If; js already a heavy charge on local bodies, Olid there havo been many instances of undue Javishness of expenditure, even though th.o Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards are chosen by representatives of the ratepayers. What would happen if tho franchise were given to all persons, whether ornot they had an interest iv keeping down the rates, no one oiu foretell, except bo far as to bo very sure that relief would be very much inoro freely given than at present, and that there would be an enormous increase of outlay. The existing local bodies should certainly apply to the Government for some information, as to tho lines on which the Bill is to proceed. It may bo said that tho slatemeufc 0} tho Christchurch Pi'fiss comes from an ouemy of the Government, but if it is incorrect it is timo that, tho truth should be known.