The Globe. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1876.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 701, 18 September 1876, Page 2

The Globe. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1876.

The remarks made by bis Worship the Mayor on the occasion of the declaration of the poll on Thursday last deserve more than a passing notice. After remarking upon the absurdity of meetings such as that of the preceding evening, which fully bears out our comments upon the subject, his Worship proceeded to give the ratepayers some important information. The first item to which we will refer is that in which he states that the Government have promised to relieve the municipality of the cost of maintaining the Hospital. This is exceedingly satisfactory, inasmuch as the carrying on of so extensive an establishment meant increased rates. This is now avoided, and the members for the city deserve the thanks of the ratepayers for their excertions to this end. Besides relieving the municipality of a pecuniary liability, we do not think the City Council would have been the right body to have managed an institution of this kind. Had it passed under their management it is more than probable that differences of opinion on questions of detail would have arisen which would be very prejudicial to the best interests of the Hospital. Therefore for this reason, as well as the pecuniary one already alluded to, we are glad that it does not come into their hands. Another important question referred to was that of gas. Without now proceeding in detail to discuss the arguments for and against the Corporation either taking over the present or building new gasworks, we must give it as our opinion that the time is fast approaching for such a step. At present the city is badly lighted. We want more lamps, for it must be remembered that every additional lamp is a protection against robbery. The halcyon days of primitive innocence, when doors could be left unlocked and articles of property left about without fear of loss, are rapidly passing away. With the increase of population comes surely an increase to the criminal portion of it. Hence it is a necessity that all precautions and safeguards should in like ratio increase. To put the few public lamps out at 1 a.m., and practically band over the city to the evil-disposed to ply their trade unmolested under cover of darkness, appears to us to be absurd. But we are told the city cannot afford to pay for more lamps. Exactly so, and here seems to us to be a very strong argument why the Corporation should have the gasworks in their own hands. Not only would it be a saving, but the result would, we believe, be a large annual profit to the city. This, and the other important points touched upon by the Mayor in his speech, will come before the Council for consideration, and we hope they will receive due deliberation at the hands of its members. The ratepayers have cause for congratulation at possessing men of sound business ability and tact as their representatives, and on the manner in which they deal with the matters coming before them will very much depend the progress and welfare of the City of Christchurch in the future.