The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 1883. Borough Affairs.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 112, 5 June 1883, Page 2

The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 1883. Borough Affairs.

The success attending* the polling 1 for the loan of £0000 on Saturday last is an evidence of what the Feildingburgesses can do when they fairly make up their minds to attain an object. The analysis of the votingshows that 142 burgesses recorded tneir votes. 'Ihere were 10 votes against and IGB votes for the proposal ; that is to say as 151 votps were necessary to carry the loan, 17 votes polled by tho opposition would have upset the whole thing-. One hundred and ten absentee names appear on the roll. This of course includes the few person^ resident in the Borough, who from unavoidable absence or other causes were unable to re coid their votes. This shows that the absentees have a power for irond or evil that is generally unknown to the rest of the burgesses, inasmuch as the active vote of a resident burfess may be counterbalanced b} r the

passive vote of a person who is oruy interested in Bcrouuh affairs j-o far as

mere ratep;vying toes, and in the unearned incremeut of increased value oiven to his property by the resident ratepayers It is reasonable to suppose that one effect of th „• improve nients to the town by the formation of the streets and other works of utility will be that a number of section^ now unoccupied and owned by absentees wil' be built uoon and made productive in some way. At the meeting of the Borough Council, which will be held on Thursday evening next, it will be necessary to rake the preliminary steps towards floating- the loan As the sum is a comparatively small one, and the interest, 7 j«t cent, i» high, no difficulty ;>u<iht to be experienced by the bankers of the Borough in plsicing it in the market at very little expense and with very litt c loss of time. In fact the Borough ought to be able to have a great part of the heavier works to be undertaken, well forward — as far as the specifications and other necessary parts of the work are concerned — at the beginning of the autumn months, so that contracts could be let and started before the beginning of summer, and completed before next winter. We do not suppose that the whole of the works will be completed within a period of three years, neither do we ihit.lc it advisable that thny should be, but whatever works are begun should be finished with all convenient speed to enable the public to benefit by them. In September next three of the present councillors will retire fr"m office, leaving throe places to be filled at the Council tablo bj three other eligible burgesses. The fact of considerable sums of money being in the hands of the Council at that tinae will make it necessary for the burgesses to exercise considerable caution and judgment in selecting representatives ro fill the now important functions to be performed by the City Fathers. In the past a seat at the Council table lies not been an object the possession of which offered much to gratify the ambition of can didates, and burgesses themselves have looked somewhat lightly on the matter. Under the new circumstance* this will be entirely changed, and it will not matter how good a man may bf» in his own estimation and that of his friends ; he must expect fo h;ive a hard battle to win which will douUless become a covefcei prize among all men who are honestly desirous of working lor the general good of the Borough. After the past experience we have had of our public men a very fair guagp can be formed by the burgesses of the ability and honesty of purpose of any who may present themselves for election. L-u th« burgesses remember this — they huve displayed their independence of all outside assistance or control, and have shown their detractors they can judge and act -for themselves, and furthermore th^t they intend to keep the reins of power in their own hands. They have learned the usefulness of unity in a manner not likely to be soon forgotten, and will certainly lake advantage of its means on al! future occasions. To those- who opposed th". loan, but' who, on principle,, diil not *'o'.e against it, the thanks of

the burjrrsses are certainly due, beo;Mne htul they acted otherwise the p ojio. ill must have l.een lost S^ that wink- they are are deeply grati-

tied to their inei-ds, yt-l th.\ xi-.usl never f'nrjre.t that it w;ia to fii« forbearance <>f their enemies that they owe the victory.