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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3501, 26 September 1882, Page 2

In spite of every effort on the part of our morning contemporary to throw dust in the eyes of the ratepayers, it has been forced to admit that, at the present rate of expenditure, the income of the borough will fall short of requirements by £2000. In other words, that tbere will be an overdraft at the hank of that amount with interest added at the end of the financial year; that there will be no prospect of paying it off, but, on tbe contrary, every prospect of the borough going to the bad at the rate of £2000 a year. Having established these evidences of insolvency, our morning contemporary proceeds to show that the worst possible economy would be to reduce the staff and the salaries of officials; but, as it does not suggest any other means whereby saving can be effected, we are led to suppose tbat it would be in favor of increased taxation. _ Two courses are open for the Council to pursue, namely, to administer affairs as heretofore ; or to cut down every expense, and endeavor to make both ends meet. The former course must involve either an extra rate, or the neglect of the public streets; the latter course means a reduction of salaries, and the initiation of a more economical system of administration. Which of thee two courses would the ratepayers prefer the Council to adopt ? To provide for an expenditure of £2000 over and above the income, and to pay interest on an overdraft of that amount, an extra rate of 9d in the £ would be required, a shilling rate pro ducing only £2894. This then is the alternative to the course proposed to be pursued by the Council. We take it that the rates now levied are more than enough to represent the benefits received from their payment, and that any increased taxation to provide for a continuance of existing extravagance would be little short of fraud.