Local Government.

To the Editor.

Sir,—It is expected that during the coming session of Parliament an effort will be made to improve the system of local Government and, as I have had some experience in various public bodies, 4 desire to point out what appear to be defects in the existing system of County Councils and Road Boards. The success or the failure to give satisfaction of these bodies depends greatly upon the proper arrangement of the boundaries of ridings, or subdivisions, so that the ratepayers in various localities may have an opportunity of being fairly represented. As at present arranged, in some ridings of the Southland County, numbers of ratepayers are virtually disfranchised. For instance, the Hokonui Riding extends from Woodlands to Waimea Plains; and it is evident the ratepayers in the extremities have no interest in common. Awarua Riding contains all the main roads leading into Invercargill, which is manifestly wrong. If Ridings are properly divided, electors will generally vote for the most suitable candidate; if improperly, then for the candidate who lives nearest. The evil of unsuitable boundaries cannot be fully rectified till the law is so amended as to permit a County Council to contain a greater number of members than nine. It is absurd that twelve members should manage the small area in the Borough of Invercargill and nine attend to the wants of the Southland County.

The Amending Counties Act, 1882, provides that all rates must be paid before a ratepayer can vote. As elections take place in November, and the year expires in March, this provision appears unjust, and should be abolished, or elections should take place subsequent to March.

The Otago Road Boards Ordinance provided that one-third of the members should retire annually, thus renewing the whole Board in three years, and one member retiring from each subdivision annually. The Road Boards Act provides that half the number, where even, and the nearest number less, where odd, shall retire annually. I think the provision in the Ordinance better than that in the Act. By the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, all applications to the Government must be accompanied by detailed plans, thus I causing a large amount of costly work, a great part of which was useless when applications were refused or curtailed. I think local bodies might be trusted without so much reference to Wellington. The usefulness of public bodies depends greatly on their finances. The assistance promised to County Councils at their creation has been withdrawn, and they have now to depend on rates, licenses, and dog tax. Road Boards have been treated even worse, as since the withdrawal of subsidies, they have only rates to depend on. In some parts of the colony the rates from Crown lands may be an equivalent for the loss of subsidies, but this does not apply to Southland. Granting a subsidy proportionate to the amount of rates raised seems as simple, just, and inexpensive a system as can be devised, as ratepayers are not likely to rate themselves unless roads require to be made or maintained. Some allowance should be made in favour of new works; but in a district like that surrounding Invercargill the cost of proper maintenance is great. In many portions of Awarua Riding there is no material suitable for road-making, whilst, in addition to farm produce, firewood, bricks, etc., for the supply of Invercargill and suburbs are carted over the roads. Most farmers in Awarua use their own vehicles, and derive no benefit from railways, though taxed for their construction and maintenance. It would, therefore, be fair if a concession were made in the haulage of material for their roads.

The Corrupt Practices Prevention Act is sound in spirit, its provisions have been fairly observed, and should be extended to all elec-tions.—Yours, etc.,