The Daily Telegraph. TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3668, 17 April 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1883.

The ratepayers of Napier arc called upon to nominate on Friday next, one of their number to fill an " extraordinary vacancy" that has occurred in the 3lmiioip.il Council, and it remains to be seen whether the same apathy -will be shown as has marked so many previous elections. Out of the whole body of councillors there is only one who grained his seat after a. contest, and on the next vacancy occurring , the defeated candidate was returned unopposed. It is not a thankful office is that of councillor, and the burgesses seem to be so well aware of the fact that they are, apparently, .triad if any one will consent to take the position. It i.s a long time since any life was thrown into a municipal election, and that was at a period when there was plenty of money to be spent. Since the last dregs of the loan were appropriated there has been no desire to enter the Council on the part of any of the ratepayers. And yet to the man who takes an honest interest in the affairs of the borough tills is the very moment to come forward. It requires no intelligence to .squander money, nor much qualification beyond that of selfishness, or of greed, to get money spent in a particular direction. It is when public affairs are in difficulty tha.fc the services of the best men are wanted, and unquestionably a, difficulty presents itself now. There is a monetary difficulty with which to face a sanitary difficulty. It is known only too well now that a very large portion of the loan has been shamefully wasted in useless works connected with drainage: that where the town has been fitted to the drainage private people have been put to heavy expenses, and that in much of the town that has not been so treated the drains are absolutely useless, and the money they have ciist has been hopelessly buried beneath the streets. Thus the drainage scheme is a veiy long way from being complete, and herein lies the sanitary difficulty. In addition to this there is the fact that owing to the pusillanimity of the Council the bylaws of the borough have not been carried out in numerous cases, and where tenements can be connected with the drains no attempt is made to do so. Nor is there much chance of sanitary improvement being effective until an administrative Council is elected to office. What is anybody's business is nobody's business, and it is the duty of the Council to make it somebody's business to see the enforcement of the by-laws, or to know the reason why. The Corporation has work to do, and plenty of it, and unless the Council see that it is done it will be left unperformed. At the present time the Council is much in want of a loader. His Worship the Mayor does not lead, and while perhaps he is a better chairman than his predecessor he is not so energetic a Mayor. He has on one or two occasions shown palpable weakness where firmness of decision was demanded of him by his position. In default of its natural leader, the deliberations (r) of the Council are best described as being "at sixes and sevens." The chairman of the public works committee, when the office was held by Sir Vauticr, and afterwards by Mr Swan, held a leading place in the Council, but lie has ceased to have any command or any following since the position was accepted by Cr Wall. The duty the ratepayers owe to themselves in the matter of thcexisting vacancy in the Council is rendered the more important as in the course of a short time there will probably be four more vacancies to fill up. Cr. Wall's approaching departure for Poverty Bay will necessitate his resignation, and in September the three ordinary vacancies will occur. In view of these approaching elections the one that is now close upon us should command attention, so that before the end of the year we may be able to boast of a Council that will not fear to take " the bull by the horns," and administer the affairs of the borough with prudence and efficiency. And the Avord "prudence" suggests the monetary difficulty. In round figures the available revenue of the borough - -available for public works and salaries - will bo somewhat under CoOOO. Of this sum salaries, office, and miscellaneouscharg'cs will absorb £1 •}•')() or thereabouts, street lighting £150, sinking fund deficiency in special rate £ tOO, leaving .ibout £2COo" for street improvement and maintenance, and for sanitary purposes. This, from past experience, will barely be sufficient without the strictest economy, an economy that has never yet been shown, and an economy that only a business-like Council will be able to enforce.