The Globe. THURSDAY, AUGUST 9. 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 974, 9 August 1877, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, AUGUST 9. 1877.

The temporary difficulty caused by the dearth of employment seems now to be in a fair way of settlement. The Government and the authorities generally have bestirred themselves in earnest, and the result has been that the greater part of the surplus labor has been absorbed. The works too, which have been projected are necessary, and in the case of the railway plantations will he reproductive. The employment thus found, though necessarily only temporary in its character, will yet afford sufficient to tide over the gaps between the two seasons. With the return of spring employment will be plentiful. The various Hoad Boards and other public bodies will be putting their works in hand, and private employers will also he enabled to give work to many. There can be no doubt of one thing, and that is that the prompt relief afforded in the present case was due in a great measure to the moderation and the absence of oratory of the stump or political loafer stamp noticeable at the recent meetings. This excited the sympathy of the public generally and re-acted upon the authorities, and we only hope that should unfortunate times come on us again the same good sense and moderation will characterise any future gatherings of a similar nature.

—— ]3v telegram from Wellington we learn that the Municipal Conference has agreed to recommend to the Government that power should be given to municipalities to rate up to 2s. in the £. It will be remembered that we strongly objected to the course pursued by our City Council in holding private meetings to instruct their delegate. The ratepayers can now see the force of that objection. We have here a proposition to increase the rating power to double its present extent, ma 1 e to the Government as the wish of the ratepayers of the Colony. Kow, so far as Christchurch is concerned, we feel perfectly certain that the majority of the ratepayers are decidedly and distinctly opposed to this being done, The power of rating up to Is. in the £ is ample enough, when we take into consideration the additions of Waimakariri, Drainage, occ., &c., which the citizens are called upon to pay. If this power is granted to the City Council we may some das iind that in committee it has been decided to do some large work, or purchase some site, and the ratepayers will be told that a rate of Is. del. in the £ is necessary. But apart from this the mode in which this has been brought about is exceedingly objectionable. A change affecting very greatly the pockets, and consequently the interests, of the ratepayers, is proposed and agreed

to without the slightest opportunity I being given to them to express their opinion upon it. It is, however, only fair to the members of the Christchurch City Council to state that at one of the committee meetings a resolution, to the effect that the rating power should be increased, was negatived. But it must also bo remembered that had the discussion of the question been open the expression of opinion on the part of the ratepayers against the proposal would, no doubt, have carried iveight with the Wellington conference. We trust that though the conference has taken upon itself, at least so far as this municipality is concerned, to recommend what is diametrically opposed to the wishes of the ratepayers, the Government Avill not accede to it. But avg would urge upon the ratepayers generally the necessity of taking action themselves immediately, by means of petition or otherwise, to prevent this poAver being placed in the hands of the City Council against the Avishes of a large portion of the ratepayers. ISTo time is to be lost, as the Government have been placed in possession of the recommendations made by the conference, and will, no doubt, act upon them at an early date. If, therefore, as we believe is the case, public opinion is opposed to the change, some Avay must be devised to enable it to be heard.