85 



held an inspection of drains. Are not Shakespeare's merry 

 conceits, Dogberry and Verges, Justice Shallow and Justice 

 Silence whimsical shadows of our present Watch Committee-men, 

 and coming County Councillors. De Quincy somewhere recom- 

 mends the general study of political economy as a certain cure 

 for sleeplessness. If any friend of mine has tried that specific 

 with, as yet, unsatisfactory results, I have only to say " thread 

 the mazes of local government." as we endure it, and you will 

 soon obtain dreamless repose. There are twenty-four (shortly to 

 be made into twenty-five) separate and distinct sets of local 

 authorities, each playing within hearing of the rest, an independ- 

 ent air ; but to these the student will become used in time, just 

 as dwellers in proximity to a cataract find in the roar of rushing 

 waters a soothing lullaby ; to the accustomed ear the rasping 

 tones of the village pohtician " will roar you as gently as any 

 sucking dove," 



The Merits and Scope of Me. RiTcmE's Bxll. 



Although Mr. Eitchie's BiU for the reform of local government 

 adds one more distinctive authority to bodies already weakened 

 by excessive differentiation, it has the distinguished merit of 

 being thorough as far as it goes beyond the dreams of the most 

 enthusiastic reforms of a few years ago, of carrying with it the 

 possibility of a complete readjustment of local administration. 

 With apologies to Mr. Nutter and other students of astronomy 

 in connection with this Club, I would liken the Bill to the core 

 of a newly-launched world, around which the present chaos of 

 miscalled Local Authorities will shortly revolve or suffer absoi-p- 

 tion by more receptive neighbours. At one stroke, the large 

 administrative powers for so long a time held by county magis- 

 trates are being transferred to a popularly elected authority--the 

 control of main roads, river pollution, asylums, county rating, 

 pohce (to some extent) and many other mmor matters which it 

 would tire you to hear enumerated. It speaks well for the general 

 character for fairness enjoyed by Englishmen that the system of 

 government by a privileged class, independent of popular feeling 

 and control, and acting in direct contradiction to the generally 

 received theory that taxation and representation ought always 

 to go together, has left behind it few traces of bitterness : the 

 quiet dignity with which the County Justices have surrendered 

 their charge — not at the call of an indignant populace, but in 

 acknowledgment of the silent force of circumstances which the 

 extension of household suffrage to counties brought fully into 

 play — covers them with honour. 



Thus sometimes and happily, powers that have become an 

 anachronism, — 



