Wanganui Chronicle AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." SATURDAY, JULY 30, 1881.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIII, Issue 9465, 30 July 1881, Page 2

Wanganui Chronicle AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." SATURDAY, JULY 30, 1881.

At length tlie Want of Confidence debate lias terminated, and Parliament is free to continue its legitimate labours. Electors throughout the country Trill treasure up the names of those public-spirited members who joined heart and soul in Mr Ormond's selfish intrigue, and the names of those other members who were too stupid to comprehend the real state of the case, and went into the lobby with the Opposition siniply because the Ministerial proposals with regard to local government were not entirely satisfactory to their judgments. The real issue was a personal one — were Mr Hall and his colleagues to continue in office, or were they to give place to another set of men, to be selected from the motley group who, for this occasion only, accepted Mr Ormond as their leader ? Most of these men would vote against Mr Hall and Major Atkinson, no matter what sort of programme they attempted to carry ; but in which list — the Ayes or the Noes — is the weight of talent, education, political respect-' ability, and enlightened patriotism to be found ? Take away the Maori contingent, good only for their votes,' and will any sane man say' that if would be safe to entrust the conduct of public affairs to any half-dozen picked out of those who remain ? However, the great attempt to oust the Ministry has been made, and has ignorniniously failed. The Crown and Native Lands Bating Bill has been read a second time, and will be committed in a fortnight. It may be that during the interval the Government will determine on some modifications to meet the wishes of their. own party ; but whether they adopt that course or not, we expect to see considerable changes made in the Bill before it emerges from the ordeal of Committee. The measure will, at all events, be fairly discussed on its merits, instead of being contemptuously tossed on one side as not worthy of consideration. Notwithstanding what was said during the debate which came to an end on Thursday night, we do not believe that there is any general wish in the constituencies to overthrow the present system of local government. It may, and doubtless does, require amending and expanding, and that can be accomplished without sweeping it away altogether and substituting a brand-new local government constitution which, even though it might look very pretty and symmetrical on paper, might be found totally useless when it came to be put into operation. A groat many hard things have been said of the Government scheme, and its promoters are alleged to be thoroughly in earnest in wishing to centralise as much as possible the conduct of local affairs. We on the contrary can find no indications whatever of such a desire ; nor do we believe that the main cause of dissatisfaction has been that local bodies have not had enough control over local departments. The real want which has been felt by Borough Councils, County Councils, and Highway Boards, has been the want of money. If each had been amply, or even fairly, supplied in that, respect, everything wovild have gone smoothly. The Government have made no largo promises as to revenue. They would have been f foolish had they done so, because the I necessary funds are not available. i With a first charge of a million, and .

a hali sterling on revenue to pay in- L terest on loans already contracted and expended, it must be for a Ipng^yhila a hard matter for the country to struggle on and maintain its credit. The diversion of this great sum is making itself keenly felt in , fiyejr| county, and we fear there is .-Ett&hope of amelioration for several years. As population increases; "as settlement goes on, and as the railways tegin to pay full interest, and something more than full interest, t)n-tfee capital expended in their construction, larger sums may be released for the assistance of local bodies. This doctrine of patience may be -unpalatable, and its promulgation may afford to unprincipled demagogues an opportunity for stirring up the public mind against a Government possessing the courage and the honesty to tell the truth. The occasion has been taken full advantage of by such men as Sir Q-eorge Grey and some others, who, whilst prof essing to be guided by the dictates of an enlightened patriotism, are in fact striving merely for their own political advancement. :