Principles of Good Government.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2069, 18 May 1887, Page 2

Principles of Good Government.

To the Editor of the Standard. Sir, —I sometimes glance over the speeches ol our members ol Parliament, bat I mast say that I usually lay the newspaper down with the regretful thought that it is a pity our representatives know so little of the principles of good government. I heard our own mem' her, Mr Buchanan, the other evening at Grey town, and I read Major Atkinson’s late speech to his constituents. As Mr Buchanan follows Major Atkinson’s lead, and as the worthy Major is usually wrong as to his principles, I will casually but briefly refer to the leading questions at issue, 1 may do some little good thereby in my own district, by telling my fellow settlers of some of these principles. CHABITABLB AID. Sir Robert Stout is quite right in contend* ing that the Provincial District is the proper rating area for charitable aid, if a rate has to be lv.v led. LOADS TO PUBLIC BODIES ACT. Major Atkinson was right in endeavoring to make the people bear the cost ol their own local government and not look so much to the central Legislature. Herein he acted as a leader should act. A people always requires to be properly led. CIVIL BBBVICit REFORM. This can only be effected by a proper system of Loop' Government. BAST ADD WEST COAST PAILWAY. Sir R. Stout’s Goveument acted rightly n getting tb’s railway constructed by private enterprise and in subsidising it with land. Every railway in the colony should have been constructed in a sinrlar way. Parliament bad no business to constrict a single mile of railway. Parliament should rule, never execute. THE MDDIOIPAL CORPORATION'S ACT Is quite inapplicable and a mistake in all townships containing less than two to three thousand people. THE COUD- ES ACT, Which Mr Buchanan says “ calls (or no comment ”is the ve»y foundation ol a'l the tv hs of our present loca' government. It a,. ilea the principle of not dividing the area of the colony in proportion to its population. There are consequently tfc co too many counties. With the exception of Sir George Grey, 1 know of no member of Parliament who appears to be fully acquainted with the great principle ol "the subdivision of the Colony, in all itsfoims of local government according to its area and population."

NATIVE I ' NDi. Tlie Native question is going along satisfactorily. Both Mr Balance's ideas and Mr Bice's ideas are useful. Whilst it is advisable to extinguish the Native title as quickly as possible, it is not advisable to let tiie Natives dispossess themselves too rapid of their lands. THE REPRESENTATION BILL, There are too many members of Pstliamint, and their numbers shonld not be increased. A grievous mistake was committed when the proving s were abolished and no' amended. Herein both Sir Julius Vogel and Major Atkinson -slowed their poor constitutioual knowledge. Everything was thrown into the hands of the Central Legislature, which has blundered and blundered uutil now it is time rather to reduce than increase its numbers. The electors’ division should be raised as to the quota of population, not tbe number of members increased. The wings of tbe Central Legislature require clipping. It has done far too much harm during t ie past 15 or 16 years. FINANCE Is naturally enough in a terrible mess. Two great principles are violated—l. Our Parliament wishes to execute in everything besides ruling, with the result that (2) there is no proper system of loc(tl Government. The only trne way to amend our finances is for Parliament to determine only to govern. The railways can then be sold and tbe huge establishment of civil servants broken up by scattering it amongst properly constituted local bodies. The result would be tbe great decrease of the Central Borrowing and Taxation, and tbe avoidance of all the errors of Protection in such an out of the way colony as this, whose prosperity will be found to depend upon Freetrade with all the world. Even with the interest we pay upon our present debt (£1,600,0< > per annum), we could build a splendid system of railways,—construct all onr public buildings, and be a bappy and prosperous community,—not a bankrupt one. THE PUBLIC DEBT. It is a mistake to confine tbe debt to that of the public. New Zealand owes England about seventy to eighty millions, public and private. The colony does not appear to be worth more than that gum, although Major Atkinson puts it dov. i as worth one hundred and sixty-eight millions. It is consequently quite a mistake to have borrowed so much money aud of course not a penny more should be borrowed. I remember pointin out the mistakes of the Borrowing policy years ago. If capital requires to be introduced it should not take the form of money or goods, but rather of men and women.

J \ND NATIONALISATION, Mr BalUnoe is right in forming village settlements through the length and breadth of the colony, and these will progress just as Featherston, Greytown, Carterton, ami Masterton have progressed. But land nut malisation is not only a blander in itself, qn'te unsuitable to the wants of an Anglo** Saxon population (although it is suitable to Indians and Chinese), hut the present circumstances of the colony do not require it. COMPULSORY SUBDIVISION OP LAND. Mr Buchanan is thoroughly right in opposing this measure. Such a rash experiment * olates many old principles. ministers’ travelling; allowance. If ministers were told that they violate one of the greatest principles of good government whenever they travel on public business a mile away from their office stools u; Wellington. they would stare. Yet such is the ease. It is the local bodies that should do the work that ministers try to do when they sre time '’tig about. FEMALE FRANCHISE. Major Atkiusou thinks that there is no harm in this (Unman Suffrage) and Mr Buchanan t rinks 'i. • same. Herein Major Atkiusou shows *.. •> a a poor statesman he is, us he might bar* replied to this question as Pericles replied biff > years ago to the people oi Athens, vi/ :—“ T/mt women should he seen and heard in public affairs as little as possible.’’ A true woman will accept this die urn, and be content with the sphere of herowo household duties. The colony does not require woman suffrage. What a pity it is that the colony will try espetimouts and not keep to piinciple».

THE KEFHBENDIJM. Major Atkinson's idea of referring ail questions to the people. I need only say that the principles of good governs't arc a special study, and a study ol y'>ara. ft is as much an art as iu.it of law or medicine. A people therefore always requites to be led hy men who have studied lire art, It is a great pity that our members of Parliament know so little ol this art, and 1 have formerly proposed that they each should obtain some slight certificate of competency in it. The referendum is a mistake in the present state of education. Those words of mine uttered as an independent settler, alter the shoals ol speeches we have been hearing from poor and trembling mortals in awe and dread of their constituents, may perhaps be of use. 1 apologise for their length, I am, &e„ Coleman Phillips. Dry River, April 30,1887.