The Globe. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1876.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 763, 30 November 1876, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1876.

The residents in the southern portion of the suburbs have, it seems, set their minds upon having a municipality of their own. At least that is the inference to be drawn from the result of the meeting the other evening at Montreal street. The gentleman who occupied the chair on that occasion put fully and most clearly before the ratepayers the position the district would be in if the application for a municipality were acceded to. Now whilst not for one moment opposing the formation of Municipalities—in many cases the natural result and outcome of progress—we would yet ask our Sydenham friends to calmly consider the matter. It may be all very well to have the district elevated to the dignity of a Borough, but have our friends counted the cost ? Are they prepared to tax themselves, and that heavily too, for the inauguration and maintenance of a costly system ? These are serious questions, which require looking at and dealing with in a common sense manner. It may be that the requirements of the district have not been looked after with the atten-

tion and care .that they should be. Even so, it becomes a question whether it is necessary to apply so very costly a remedy as the erection of the district into a Borough. It seems within the bounds of probability that a less expensive and perhaps more effective mode of setting matters right may be found. In the first place it is well worth consideration whether incorporation with Christchurch would not be a wise step. ? The city has all the machinery in working order, only a small pro rata share of the expense of which would fall upon the district. The works necessary in the district would of necessity be executed with less delay than if carried out by a local body of their own with but comparatively small resources. Generally, therefore, it does seem to us to be worth while considering whether such a step would not be preferable to the establishment of the proposed Municipality. Should, however, this course not meet with approval, there is yet i another method which might be tried. So far as can be seen, the discontent expressed in the district arises from an idea that the works of the Board are confined to certain parts of it, instead of being generally distributed. This appears to be the sum and substance of the arguments used by those in favor of the Municipality scheme. Now this might be remedied by adopting a system which prevails in some of the country Road Boards of dividing the district into wards; each ward returning a member, who will of course take care that a fair proportion of the rates raised in the ward shall be spent therein in improvements. We commend this to the consideration of the ratepayers of Spreydon, as giving them what they want without the inevitable expense of what they now propose. Besides, even supposing that they are formed into a Municipality, what guarantee is there that the works of the Council will be more widely distributed through the district than those undertaken by the Road Board now are P One part or division may secure a monopoly of the representation, and the last stage of the district will be infinitely worse than the first. Wb must be distinctly understood as not being in any way opposed to the formation of Municipalities. Ear s from it; where the rapid increase of population or other circumstances gwirant it wja._ shall.—always _be Boroughs. But we think it our duty to put the matter clearly before the Spreydon ratepayers, so that they may see exactly what responsibilities they are assuming, and what results they are likely to achieve. If they have well weighed all these matters, have made up their minds to take upon themselves the burdens and responsibilities of an independent Borough, than we say to them, go on. But if on the other hand, they have only taken a superficial view of these things; if they have had held up to them this scheme as a panacea for all their grievances, without consideration of all the attendant disadvantages and heavy expense attached to it, then we ask them to pause. Let the matter be carefully weighed and thought over before the step is taken of petitioning the Governor to constitute the district a Municipality.