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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3174, 31 August 1881, Page 2

Thb nominations of candidates for the th*-ee vacant seats in the Municipal Council—one for each ward—have to be made to-morrow. Crs. Wall, McDougall, and Leonard having according to to tbe Act. polled tbe lowest number of votes at the last elections are by effluxion of time the retiring councillors. Mr Leonard anticipated his natural resignation some weeks ago, and not being eligible for re-election has of course no intention of coming forward again. Mr McDougall has not been long in the Council, having taken the seat vacated by Mr Oliver. He intends offering himself as a candidate once more. Mr "Wall entered tbe Council on Mr McVay's resignation, and, we believe, intends standing for re-election. We have not heard the names of any other candidates, and public interest appears to be very little excited over the matter. It is this supineness that has been at the bottom of all of what ratepayers have most reason to complain. If those who contributed the largest sums to the borough revenue had from the first—as they did at the first—taken the management of affairs into their own hands, economy and efficiency of administration might have resulted. But since the gradual retirement of the first Council the conduct of affairs has been marked by a stronger desire to spend for the sake of spending than by a determination to keep down rates by securing full value for every penny spent. A falling revenue by the stoppage of subsidies, and the approaching exhaustion of the loan, will inevitably necessitate the imposition of increased rates, and with this view staring ratepayers in the face it would be well if every opportunity like the present were taken advantage of to put the best men they can find in the Council. With every respect for the retiring councillors, and for those also who remain in office, we cannot butthink that a better selection can be made in the future than has been shown in the past. The affairs of the borough are in a condition that requires able administration, and men should be chosen whose natural abilities and business experience would command public confidence. This much is at leaßt certain, chat unless the business of tbe borough is conducted more efficiently than it has been, the excessive rates that will have to be imposed will have a most serious effect upon the progress of the town.