Oldal 70 [70]
OCR
a and wealthy District, that I should notice some of the changes occasioned by the amendment of the laws, which, from an early period of the existence of this colony, reguired the performance by the magistrates in Quarter Sessions of certain important public duties. Among these was the power to raise local assessments for the building and repair of court houses and gaols, for the payment of a gaoler’s salary, and for the support of prisoners, as well as for defraying the expense generally of the administration of justice in the respective Districts. Any surplus of the District revenue, after making provision for those and other objects connected with the operations of the laws, the magistrates were authorized to expend in the building of bridges and in the repair of roads. Compiaint had long been made in various parts of Upper Canada, whether justly or not, it is not necessary now to enquire, that the justices, in the expenditure of the District revenue, were not euided by that scrupulous regard for economy which, in the opinion of many, the interests of the people at large required at their hands; and, consequently, that an inconsiderable portion of the monies of the Districts was laid out to improve the internal communications. [t was supposed that the only remedy for this and other alleged evils of a found in some Legislative transfer the fiscal affairs of each District from the superintendence of the Magistracy to the people themselves, by the establishment like nature, was to be measure, which should of municipal corporations possessing the power of extensive self-government. A measure of that nature, you are aware, passed the Provincial Parliament at the late session, and is now in force throughout the colony; and you have met here this day, on behalf of the inhabitants of the Johnstown District, to discharge the duties and to perform the functions created by that Statute, Whether the objections made to the manner in which the Justices of the Peace disposed of the District funds were well or ill-founded, I am led to believe that they will regard with much satisfaction the relief which the Municipal Act affords them in that respect, for no part of their public duty was felt to be so onerous and so obnoxious to animadversion. And I may venture to add that no class of the community will see with more pleasure any improvement that may be made by the Municipal Councils in the financial condition of the several Districts, The Justices will henceforward be left in the exercise of their own legitimate authority to administer the laws for the Preservation of the puvlic = the security of life, liberty and property unembarrassed by the perplexing care of public money, its collection and expenditure. Whilst you, on- behalf of the whole body of the people in their corporate capacity, shall meet here quarterly to deliberate on the best means of promoting the improvement, wealth and prosperity of the District. 10 do this you are supported by powers which no one can dispute. Asa Corporation invested with lawful authority, you may not only at once assume the management of the sevéra] matters ; the charge of which I have just explained has Hebe removed from the Justices to you. But you are now at liberty subjects which the Magistrates in Quarter Sessions had no control over, | The Municipal Act not only places at your disposal the present assessments of the Districts, but to enable you to exercise a rigid supervision over every department of expenditure; youare wisely assisted by two disinterested accountants or auditors, who, under the solema obligation of an oath, will be bound to examine with the strictest scrutiny every charge brought against the public for services performed or materials furnished. And besides, the care bestowed by the Legislature in providing a wholesome check to the possibility of waste or fraud on the part of any District officer, it 1S now impossible to embark in any improvement, the ultimate cost of which, as in too many instances in their own knowledge may be determined by chance, for the law not only guarantees that all public works shall be well done under the superintendance of the District Surveyor, whose gualifcations must be ascertained on examination by the Board of Works. Butit declares that you shall not pass a By-law for performing any public work without having first received an estimate of the cost thereof, prepared, or examined and reported upon by the District Surveyor, and after all these precautions to secure the interests of the public, the work can only be executed under a written contract in conformity with such regulations as shall Írom time to time be made by the Board of Works. The establishment of these necessary and prudent rogulations for the economical collection and expenditure of the District revenue, as well as for the proper performance of the labor bestowed in making and maintaining the public highways and bridges, cannot fail to meet the approbation of the whole community where once the system is brought into full operation, and when the working of it has become familiar to the people at large. | ips = i
