Cromwell Argus. AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. Cromwell: Wednesday, July 28, 1875.

Cromwell Argus, Volume VI, Issue 298, 28 July 1875, Page 4

Cromwell Argus. AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. Cromwell: Wednesday, July 28, 1875.

Ix view of the weighty concerns to which our Municipal rulers have pledged the town, and the heavy responsibility they have undertaken in borrowing a large sum of money with which to carry out an important public work, reasonable people would have imagined that when the opportunity and season came round when those who have to provide the means for carrying on the municipal institution have the pi-ivilege of expressing their opinions on the past and views as to the future, and appointing men to carry out those views as far as possible—we say, when such a time arrived it was not too much to expect a healthy outspoken interest taken by the ratepayers in those measures, as well asin the men on whom was to devolve the responsibility of carrying them out. This wa3 the more to be looked for from the fact that there does not by any means prevail a unanimity of sentiment among the taxpayers as to the past action of the Council, and certainly less as to the mode of carrying forward the' work that body has set itself to accomplish. This being so, it was matter for surprise, and, to any right-thinking citizen, indignation, to find that the material interests of the town and district found so little sympathy that at the nomination yesterday the Ward containing the greatest number of voters was actually without a representative, no gentleman having been found willing to volunteer his time and services for the public good.. Looking down the Citizens' Roll for Macaudrew Ward we can pick out a score of names, the owners of which have both the time and ability to serve the honorable office of Councillor with repute to themselves and acceptance to the ratepayers, and it is little to their credit that public spirit is so dead amongst them. As to the other two Wards, although we consider the town could scarcely be better served than by the gentlemen elected, yet it would have shown a greater degree of interest in our local affairs, and a healthier sign of the boasted .prosperity of Cromwell hid there been brought forward men representing the various views of the questions at issue. We are of those who believe in opposition—unless there are very good reasons to the contrary—when a place of honor and responsibility has to be filled. It generally has the effect of bringing forward the best men ; ventilates valuable opinions on the various points calling for attention ; and engenders a self-reliant and independent feeling among the community generally. At the present time more than ever was it necessary these desiderata should be forthcoming in Cromwell, instead of which apathy (to put it mildly) appears to reign supreme, the citizens by their inaction actually weakening the Council, and the Council led to infer it can work independent of the citizens, whose chief endeavors would seem to lie in fault-finding, rather than encouraging and strengthening their representatives.

•ih.'tfi hj»:« «»/ if*'a- ' l-r.» <■. T«p:wats have yet to bo,filled at the Council board, and it ia to bo hoped the towns ■ people will exercise their privilege and cast around for suitable men who will bring an accession of’ practical intelligence to bear upon the " important 1 work of the municipal year. II such is riot done, the ratepayers will have themselves to blame should it be found, when too* late, that operations have not been conducted prudently or to their satisfaction, ;