The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1888. Borough Affairs

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 51, 6 October 1888, Page 2

The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1888. Borough Affairs

We are glad to see that the Borough Council now proposes to be rather more progressive than it has been of late years, as will be gathered by our readers from the report of the proceedings of the last meeting published in another column. In order to do this all outstanding rates are to be called in, and where defaulting burgesses are backward in paying their rates, the assistance of the Resident Magistrate will be obtained. It may not be necessary to inform burgesses that the amount of rates now due is very little short of that of the Bank overdraft, and that if each and every one of them were to send in their cheques a saving of about thirty pounds a year, in interest now paid, would thereby be effected, a sum which would go a good way in roadmending or bridge-making. As it was made clear the Council, as at present constituted, means to work on strictly business principles, those interested should take the hint now given, and pay before worse befals them. An* other fact worth noticing is that the Council is " not to be bullied" any longer by people who have imaginary grievance?, or who ar« inclined to work evil upon their fellow townsmen by involving — or threatening to do so — the Borough in frivolous or speculative lawsuits on the smallest excuse or pretence. It is a matter for congratulation that the Council is now showing a determination and fixity of purpose, the future advantages of which cannot be over-estimated. The resolution initiated by the Mayor, regarding the proposed improvements in Manchester Square, is one which deserves the highest commendation from everyone - whether resident in the town or country — who has a honest desire to see the chief town on the Manchester Block making that progress its circumstances more than justify. As it is not intended to make these improvements at the expense of the ratepayers, as such, but entirely by voluntary subscriptions, even the most captious will find some difficulty in discovering an objection to the scheme. We hope at no distant date to also see the suggestion made by Dr Movokton carried into effect, whea that part of the Kiinboltoa road extending to each boundary of the town will be planted with an avenue of ornamental trees and shrubs. As the depression, which after all has touched this settlement with but a light hand, is now passing away, we can begin to hope that public works in the way of bridges and footpaths, where actually required, may be projected with the certainty of their being completed without any great increase to the present rates. In the meantime we express the opinion, which will be echoed by a large majority of our fellow burgesses, that the present Council is a strong one, and good work may therefore be expected from it. In this we are confident we will not be disappointed by ita future actions.