IN OTHER CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 49, 21 November 1907, Page 11

IN OTHER CENTRES.

'■(?EOM OUR SrECUL CORRESPONDENTS.)

AUCKLAND. November 20. Arguments in favour of tho abolition of outside local bodies and tho formation of a Greater Auokland, aro • frequently arising. A matter came up at the meeting of the: Pafnell" 'Borough Council which puts tho position succintly. This was a reference to tho result of recent loan proposals for the ordction of a free public library and swimming baths; which were s defeated, only a small,, minority of the ratepayers voting.. The Mayor (Mr. G. "W. Basley) said tho icsult of'the ppll did not personally affect him. ,He was very sorry, however, he would not. sSy annoyed, to note the entiro apathy of! the people who lived in the borough. He would not care a bit if thoy lost the poll by a solid: vote, but the people had taken such little interest ih the poll, few of them, taking the . trouble to vote. "It is no credit to them or to us," he said. "It is a shocfe ing state of things, and shows thoy are unfit to have the privileges the law gives them." Though there were over 1000 ratepayers a little over 200 voted. Even if they were, comparatively small matters the people' ought to have voted. After referring to a previous loan proposal for road improvements, which was also defeated, tho Mayor said the peoplo would probably wake up some day. arid, find it was too late. "Because I fully , think this Borough will be legislated into a Greater Auckland. Different forces will come together, and the people will find they are too late to do anytning for themsolves. .It shows the apathy and utter indifference of the-peoplo to progress. They do not'seem to understand what progress is. It seoms to me, and I ~say it publicly, that the people of Parncll think of nothing but allowing,their pennies to grow into pounds." Mr. J./R. Lundon- said, the defeat -of the proposal raised, the question of what thoy wero to do with the site given them by the Government for a library. Mr. F. Finlayson spoko .regrotting the.defeat of the proposals. He suggested, however, that tho neople should bo given; an opportunity of subscribing' personally. . Some of theratepayers were/most generously inclined, which made it harder .to understand the decision of tho poll. .-

Bathing. ' That there is a'great necessity for providing spme sort ..of accommodation' for bathers along the foreshore of tho harbour at Auckland and • Devonport, has been strikingly demonstratQd . during the fine warm weather of, ; the past, few weeks. Every afternoon - large numbers 'of. bathers are to bo seen stealing behind . cover of various •kinds to . don their; bathing costume, while on Saturday afternoons and Sundays there is a regular horde; of bathers along the beaches. There, is only, one summing bath in the : city, in Albert Street, and another 1 dilapidated ; bath'built very many years ago at thefoot of Custom Street, between sawmills, ..and these are expected to provido bathing accommodation for the whole city. None qf .the, suburbs have baths. In tho absence of adequate baths it is urged that the local, .bodies should consider the question of erecting shelter, .sheds at various points along the foreshore, at . Auckland and Devoiiport,< provision .being made for ladies as well as the.male sox*. . The Hospital. Hospital matters continue to agitate the public mind, and a game of cross purposes is going on. We have the District Health Officer ,on the one hand urging more exhis latest request to the Hospital Board bomg for a sanatorium for consumptives; and- <?n : the other hand the local bodies prying out perpetually • about "extravagance::'' In tne latter connection Mr. E. Davis moved at last night's meeting of the Newmarket Borough Council, when no was nominated: for a seat;on the Board, "That, this Council is of opinion that representation on -the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board '.as at present constituted is, unsatisfactory >and undemocratic, and should be amended so that the ratepayers would have a more»direct voice in the administration'of affairs." Ho said ho had had twelve months' experience on - the Board, and thought it was high time tha.t the people had a direct vote. The present' expenditure was an enormous sum of money, and tho eyes of the public, were nonopened to the necessity for direct : and close watch on so large an annual outlay. The People wero not satisfied because they, did: not know how. the money :waS; spent. The motion was'seconded hy Mr. Kenaer, who said the Board spent what it'liked. Tho people should have a direct.:vote,, as then, the Board would be more open to criticism. Mr. Teed thought tho Board as a whole had, no • voice in the expenditure. The whole, thing was run by one or two. Mr. Davis intimated that if ho should be .elected to the Board he would move for the appointment of an honorary board of architects. The 7 Mayor said the present: system was the popular voto throughout the Councils, which were elected by the people. He thought that if tho Board had been more vigilant 'tho present troublo would not havo arisen, and if. those members who . hid spoken out 'lately had spoken as vigorously •at .the Board meetings before, the present posjtion would not have occurred. The motion was carried unanimously, j