TIMAEU AND GLADSTONE LOCAL BOAED BILL.

Timaru Herald, Volume VII, Issue 247, 9 October 1867, Page 2

TIMAEU AND GLADSTONE LOCAL BOAED BILL.

In the Legislative Couucil, on the 25th ult.,

The Hon. Major Richardson, m moving the second reading of this Bill, said there were many very good and substantial reasons why it should receive tbe sanction of the Council. In the iirst place there was the abstract justice and the intrinsic merit of the claims jidvanced ; then the Bill was the necessary sequence of the principles which the Council, m the early part of the month, had affirmed; and lastly, it was due as a tribute, if he might . be allowed so to say, to the just, earnest, consistent, and indefatigable advocacy of his friend Mr Cox, the hon. gentleman who had introduced the measure iv the House of Representatives. The Bill was really a natural, and inevitable sequence of the report of the Select Committee on the Kaglan petition, which had been adopted by. the Council a few weeks ago by a very large majority. . That report stated that the Committee "desire to record their opinion that the time has arrived when large powers of local self-government, with lixed endowments, should be accorded to the outlying districts of the several provinces of the Colony." The Council having coincided m that view, it was but natural that districts which had long been yearning for powers of local self-government, should come to the Council and solicit a practical recognition of the principle laid down by them. He need not go into the particulars of the present case, nor yet into the general principle ; both had been fully argued already, and what had been said for and against them had become a public record. He would not go over this ground, but he thought it wouldbe desirable, even at the risk of indulging m repetition, to read a letter dated March 31st, 1867, from Earl Grey to Sir George Grey. Sir George Grey having expressed an opinion "that great benefit would result from regulations which would entrust to officers elected by the inhabitants of a, hundred the appropriation of that portion of the land revenue raised within such hundred, which ia applicable to the execution of public works, such as roads, bridges &c," additional instructions are issued to Sir George Grey, to the following effect : — '.' We do hereby further declare that it shall be competent for the Governor, or officer administering the Government of the said colony, to authorize the application of any proportion not exceeding one-third of the gross proceeds of the Bales of land effected within the limits of such hundred, towards such purposes as shall be signified to him by the wardens of such hundred, or by such other authorities thereof as shall be designated for that purpose by any Ordinance to ( be passed by the Legislature of the said ' colony, subject nevertheless to such restnc- j tions and regulations as shall be imposed by j such .Ordinance." The far-seeing originators of the constitution Act has forseen that the time would inevitably come— perhaps it had come sooner than ' they expected — when powers of local self-government, with fixed endowments, must be entrusted to outlying! districts, and had wisely designed that any measure for so doing slibuld be passed by the Legislature , of the colony, not by the Provincial Legislatures. He had carefully watched the course of provincial legislation and administration, and he had seen that the outlying districts were not fairly treated, and that all endeavours ' to obtain justice from the Provincial Councils had failed. He believed that m the present case the provincial authorities of Canterbury did not dispute or disallow the: claims of the. district; the only question was whether the Bill should riot be left to the Provincial Legislature, bat it bad been wisely intended by tbe framera of the Constitution Act that

such a measure should come through a different channel, the Legislature of the colony. The present Bill was a very short one, only 28 clauses ; bat it seemed framed to meet a}) requirements. It took four road districts, called the Geraldine, the Levels, Waimate, and Mount Cook districts, and the Municipality of Timaru, and formed* general board from them. Regulations for the constitution of the board were made, and it was provided that one-fourth part of the gross land revenues of those districts should be paid to the Colonial Treasurer, to be by - him paid to the Board. The Council would observe that Earl Grey had suggested a larger proportion than that of one-fourth." £30,000 of Canterbury debentures from aloan-wbicb.-' had not been entirely raised, a part of which, being hypothecated was to be given to the district m question, to be spent m certain specified works, namely, JFB.OOO for fcarbtmr. ■" works, £3,000 for the Opihi bridge, and the ' remainder for a bridge across the Rangitata. Provision was made for the judicious expenditure of the funds, and for their being duly audited. In fact he believed that'tms > Bill would give universal satisfaction to all the outlying districts of New Zealand. He believed it to be the duty of the Assembly to legislate not for provinces, or for the colony, or for Governments, but for the people, so aa to secure the greatest good to the greatest number. He rejoiced m the prospect of tbe day rapidb approaching when narrow geof ; graphical distinctions and bonndaries would f pass away, and when the people of New New Zealand would be one people, with one revenue fairly and justly distributed throughout all portions of the colony. The Bill was read a second time, considered m Committee, reported without amendments, and ordered to be read a third time at next sitting. At the next sitting the Bill was read a third time and passed.