The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1874.

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1743, 4 August 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1874.

The effort now being made by various municipal bodies throughout the colony to secure the money accruing from publicans' licenses and other sources of purely local revenue for municipal purposes is a commendable one. It is only reasonable that the money received from these sources should be expended where it is received, but if the press is to throw cold water on the attempt and disparage it in every possible way, it can scarcely be expected that the municipal bodies will be successful. No doubt the Provincial Governments of some of the Provinces will oppose the movement by every means in their power, and considering that nearly every Province has its Superintendent and some member of the Provincial Executive in the House of Representatives their opposition will be formidable to any legislation on the subject. But that is no reason why an effort should not be made, and the municipal councils will have the support of a considerable section of the press in their endeavors, which must ultimately be successful. "We do not think that, any great opposition will be offered "by the Provincial Goverumcriis of Otago and Canterbury, but those of the less wealthy Provinces will undoubtedly view with a jealous eye any attempt to deprive

them of such a revenue, as, for instance, that arising from publicans' licenses. The present Superintendent of Auckland in his election addresses, , expressed himself favorable to granting the license fees paid in the district, under certain conditions ; one of which, if we remember rightly, was that such a concession would necessitate the Borough Council assuming the responsibility of the police expenditure. Mr Williamson may still be of the same mind, and, if so, he will not oppoie the present movement of the Council to augment its revenue at the expense of the Provincial treasury. It is very clear that with the complication of interests existing in this district the Council will hare to fight f«r everything they get, and if they were to rest content with administering the money likely to be raised from the Borough assesiment and the subsidy from the Provincial Government, their function! would be very restricted. Their existence, indeed, instead of being a public benefit would be but a costly luxury. They have got well into harness, and so far they have exhibited a praiseworthy disposition to exercise their powers so as to benefit the district; but if they are to be disparaged by the press and thwarted at every move by the opposition of the Provincial Government, it would be better to revert to the Highway District Board form of local government, until such time as Provincial Governments have ceased to exist. We have no fear of this coming to pass, however. The opposition may prevail for a time, but if the Borough Council fulfil their duties honestly and faithfully, in the long run they will succeed in securing for the district equal rights with other municipalities : more cannot be expected.

The Cyplirenes is advertised to sail at six o'clock this evening; the Golden Crown (we believe she is coming down to-day) with the Thames portion of the mail will probably reach Auckland between eight and nine this evening; so we shall have the satisfaction of knowing that our correspondence will be detained for a whole month. We must grin and bear it, because we have no remedy; but the annoyance is none the less. It appears that we are always to experience difficulty in getting off our home mails, for last month a mail made up here only reached town just in time, and then only through the outgoing boat being detained beyond her advertised time of sailing. To make sure of getting mails away in time it will be necessary to have them made up two or three days before the advertised date of departure.