The Daily Telegraph THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3010, 17 February 1881, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1881.

Cβ. McDougall did the borough some service on Monday night, in committee of workp, in again bringing up the question of extending the water supply to the hills. MoDth by luonth the loan is getting small by degrees and beautifully leas, and tne cost has not yet been discovered of fulfilling the terms under which the hill , residents consented to the cormolidation of the municipal loans and to the borrowing of a fnrtber sum of money. The primary object of the loan was the reclamation of the swamp and the drainage of the lower levels, which, it was roughly , estimated, would absorb rather more "' than half the money, leaving a good round sum with which to extend the water supply over the whole island. Up to the present time something like £20,000 has been spent on is owing on the so-called drainage scheme, but it is not easy to learo exactly how much of the loan has actually been expended, bow !■ much is contracted for, and how much will remain available for water works. The action Cγ. M'Dougall contemplates r will throw some little light on the subject of how the loan has been applied. There is a feeling that a good deal of the borrowed woney has not been strictly ppent on drainage pnd reclamation, and tbat which should have been classified as ordinary works, should have been paid for out of general revenue, has been put under other heads and paid for out of the loan. With such a j feeling abroad, the Council would do well to couit the enquiry tbat evidently Cr. M'Dougall desires to have. It is no secret that the general revenue, as [ evidenced by the overdraft, has been insufficient for ordinary purposes, and with this knowledge a belief has gained ground . that the loan has been nibbled into. So far as we know, the borough public . works have necessitated little increase to " the municipal staff, and so the cost of i administration should not have exceeded muchthatof previousyears. Tuspite, bow- ' ever, of every assurance that economy combined with efficiency has been the ' ruling principle of borough administration, the hank overdraft has steadily grown until it has become a question of grave consideration as to what course should be adopted to bring it within a 1 reasonable amount. The whole question of finauce wants going thoroughly into, nor should the Council permit any attempt to burke a thorough investigation. ; Cr. Ellis endeavored soon after his election to bring about an examination of the financial position of the borough, but he failed through being drawn off the the scent. Let us hope that Cr. M'Dougall will be more sucsessful.