The Daily Telegraph WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3876, 19 December 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1883.

The Public Works Committee has forwarded no recommendation to the Municipal Council for its consideration this evening , outside of the tenders for the annual services of the Corporation. As a rule the business of the Council is confined to that which has already been discussed in coir,, mittee, but, apparently, none of the (Tjcstions that should have received preliminary consideration by that body lvave been touched. At the last meeting of the Council, it will be remembered, Cr. Neal brought forward a motion that proposed the erection of Corporation offices. Conflicting- prejudices hung this motion up by referring it to the committee, and there it roraains as though the question were of no importance whatever. In all proba.bl.Uty, before the Council can meet again, the officers and the records of the borough will be unceremoniously turned out of the present municipal offices. Abundant warning has been given that this will be the case, but a delusivo hope has sustained the Corporation in tho belief hitherto that such a summary proceeding will hardly be tried. In any caso tho present offices cannot be retained, and it is due to the ratepnyors that some place of safely should ho found for tho valuable documents on which hinge the revenue of tho borough. We have heard it stated that it would not be displeasing to somo of tho councillors if a rapid flight to ii sheltering roof should have to be.madq. The Protestant Hall wants a tenant. It is a wretched shell of a building wholly unsuited for offices, and Inconvenient in its situation; but any port in a storm is bettor than none, and the idea is cherished that if the Corporation once seeks shelter under its ungainly roof it may take up its permanent quarters there. Tho site for the offices appears to be tho whole difficulty in the way of the settlement of the question, and it was just this that the committee was expected to figrht out in private conclave, that a final recon;,. mendation to the Council might oi it for ever. But nothing, howover has been done in the matter. Another question that demands immediate attention is that of street lighting. It is impossdblo to suppose that the ratepayers are going to put up with unlighted streets. The street gas lamps are necessities and not luxuries as some of tho councillors regard them. We ventures to think that, cost what it will, the ratepayers will insist upon tho streets being lighted. Wo aro informed that tho Gas Company lias tendered the lowest prico at which this service can be performed, and it is ridiculous to suppose that tho company will voluntarily lose by its contract, or be coerced into a financial loss. The Council, however, has acted as though it kuew the business of tho company better than its directors, and it then presumed on its fancied knowledge to try and compel the company to take a losingcontract. Somo attempt was made at this sort of bounce a few years ago, but it signally failed. = The Council at that time only succeded in placing itself in a false position, and this appears to be its outlook now. There are many things in the administration of borough affairs in which tho practice of economy would be of great public advantage, but there are other things which must be obtained and which must bo paid for. Street lighting is one of theso things; removal of night soil, water supply, and

drainage, are others., In these to be penny wise is to bo pound foolish, for if they are not properly done it would bo better to leave them alone.