The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-03-24 00:00:00

COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

MR, itircHrE greatly surprised the House
of Commons and the country generally on
Monday by his explanation of the provisions
of the Ministerial measure for the reform of
County and Local Government. The bill,
which is to receive the attention of the House
after Eastertide, is such a bold one that its
proposals completely staggered the Oppsi-
tion at first sight, and evoked the surpriEe
and commendation of Mr. Gladstone and his
followers; while supporters of the Govern-
ment were not a little taken aback by the
sweeping and, even in one sense revolution-
ary, nature of the scheme. Indeed one influ-
ential and representative organ of the L )n-
-don press which is usually cordial in its ap-
proval of reforms undertaken by Conserve
tive Ministers has summed-up the situation
in a manner which well indicates the feeling 1
of a great mass of those, both in town and ,

oormi-ry, who assisted in placing the present
Government in office, by stating that if Mr.
Ritchie's plans had been introduced from the
LiberAl b,mehes they would hare evolzad a
hot and solid resistance from those who now

are urged to support them lest the stability
at the Ministry should be endangered. It hai
often been averred that the most R tdical
laws are carried by Censervative majorities,
or ratherplaeed on the Statute Book during
the ascendancy of the party usually ailveree
to violent and drestic changes in legislation.
The Reform party, in strong opposition, we
are told in explanation, compel the Coneti-
tutioualists to go far beyond the range and
limit of their trajitional policy, and this the
Conservatives do in order that they may re-
mein in office to carry into effect other pro-
posals more in accord with their own views.
There is considerable truth in this statement,
as may easily be seen by a glance at the his-
tory- of the important reform measures of
recent years. Herein is shown one of the
chief virtues ef the party system as we have
it in Britain ; one section of the chosen states-
men of the people is continually spurring on
the other to do the will of those who sent
thorn to Parliament. Conservatives are pushed
ahead by Liberal pressure, and we get at
times almost Radical reforms brought in,
rittopioned. and passed by Ministers from
se:emu no such action was expected; and on
tae other hand Radicals are often held back
feom giving effect to over-impetnone and
perhape dangerous proposals by the deter-
mined and assiduous antagonism of theie
staral opponeete i•i Parliament. in OODS,)-
71:_•ric, great measures are occaaionelly
moulded, as a grand ceup, by the party in
power of a character SO practically tincontro- '
verejil that opposition collapses completely
at-et:gilt of them. Such a measure it would
viewed ueder party lights alone, Mr.
ititehiels Local Government Bill is likely to
peove. On the whole, judging it from the ,
-explanet ion of the propositions to be ad vanced
atel from the attitude of the Opposition, the
Liberal handling of Mr. Ritchie's Bill will
be confined 10 a criticism of detail and an
endeavour to keep (kevertuaient well up to
tlse task they kayo sketched out. In the other
direction the older Tories will doubtless do
their utmost to whittle down the measure
jet° less changeful shape as it progresses in
Parliament. Beroie it becomes law it may
assume a very altered appearance as regards
detail; but the great central ideal of the bill
has certainly si rnek the majority of those
who have eaeseeined it as one which may ad-
Tanta eeoueie be alio 'red to pass into law. It
aims at giling districts as full and responsi-
ble con; rd l of their local allies us is possible.
it recognises that they know their own re-
quirements better than anyone else, and
would leave there the onus and the duty o
edininieristion in all tr.ings local, subject, of
couree, to be sategnerd of oversight by con
tral authority. The County and District
Coque is proposed to attain this end are
comprehensive i outline and should prove
(rite workable in practice. The electoral
p: ineiple is reeo4nised in a way which loaves
little room for. attec'e, for he councils, us
eketched. will be th ro r presentative
and elective ie a popti ar and equiteble man
ner The seleeted reemb ri inten led to con-
plete tele compesitions of the eon nails will be.
in reality, dependeet ii the auffragee of .th
people just as al(lerm ,it iii tleoan manicipa -
ities at present owe t t ) the vote of
these who have been:returned at the poll re-
presentatives of the ratepaying burgesses.
Country magistrates melee the new plan will
!fele theie imliaitijArative powers and duties,
e ril,cards puce cor truly at quartesetesioni,
and fur the future confine taittillbalVell to
tkeir juttieial functions, The eulogy, goutrel

of licenses will also pass out of 6Gir hands
into that of an elected comnlittee, in con-
junction with whom they ill it from the
time of the passing of the measure on ulna!
.-Errus. Licensed victualler) have long bee:A
igitating to get out of the power of the
county magistrate. But now thlt there is a
prospect of their Laving new in utters tlicy
are not quite happy, fearing that the sti,<-
gested change would be only a leap from
frying pan to are. Temperance advocates,
mtraire, hail the admis.iion of the prin-
ciple of right of local control as regards
nublic-lionse licenses; but do not agn_e
with compensation clauses in case of
forfeiture at option of Licensing Committee.
He wonld, however, be a clever man ind.,ed
who could satisfy publican and teetotaller
at one and at the sPme.time, as t;ie interests
of the two are directly antagonistic, Mr.
Ritchie seems to hit the moan ndotirahly,
though, and before long we may see Bonirace
and the Blue Ribbonite both withholding
their oppoE_Aition to his scheme. The chief
towns, of the country, ten in mnmber, will
become ecliptics for the purposes of the b 11,
if the Government measnre passes; all eater
boroughs with over 19,000 inhabitants will
retain their local privileges. Smaller towns
will, for Local Government purposes be
merged in the districts in districts in which
they-are situated, andgo under the j urisdiction
of the County Council. London will b-1.
vast county, with numerous districts, and
the Board of Works will be altogether
abolished. The new bodies will have large
financ;al powers, and plans are sketched out
whereby there will be a substantial reliefin
local taxation, under two mdlions at present,
but calculated to increase to th,ee millions
in 1890. This latter arrangement is one of
the chief recommendations of lfr. Ritchie's
bill inirural districts.