The Globe. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1977.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1035, 19 October 1877, Page 2

The Globe. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1977.

Our Sydenham friends are beginning to realise somewhat of the responsibilities and burdens of being a municipality. Up to the present all has been smooth and pleasant. They have exercised their privileges as burgesses, and have elected their first Mayor. They have candidates before them for municipal honors, and like the older boroughs they have had a public meeting to hear their views. So far so good. Up to this time no mention has been made of finance, nor of the burden which, with the honour and glory, the residents of the new borough have taken upon themselves. Judging from the tone of the meetinglast evening it appears, too, that the Sydenham ratepayers do not like the idea of putting their hands into their pockets to provide the funds necessary for the works of the borough. It seems to he their idea that a paternal Government, or some other equally beneficent authority, will he ready to furnish them with the requisite funds, and that their portion of the work will consist of the very pleasant duty of spending the cash so provided. That some such notion as that exists appears to ho certain from the published reports of the proceedings of the meeting. We there find that the mere mention of borrowing money to do works with —and borrowing of course means rating for interest and sinking fund—was received with most decided marks of disapprobation. Up to that point all had gone smoothly. Expectant Councillors had discussed glibly as to the necessity for roads, &e. They had promised to see the side channels looked after, nuisances abated, and generally made all those profuse statements as to the work they would do, which candidates from time immemorial have been hut too prone to do. But they omitted one rather important matter Until the gentleman, whose remarks on borrowing met with so decidedly an adverse reception, no one had stated where the money was to come from, A. number of works were at once to ho put in hand, but how they were to he paid for no one seemed disposed to enquire. That they could not bo provided for out of any funds in, the hands of the borough at starting was pretty clear, as there was not a shilling in the municipal treasury. It will be recollected that on the occasion of the movement for declaring Sydenham a municipality, we pointed out to the residents the nature of the responsibilities they were assuming. It seemed to us then, and the later events have confirmed the impression, that they had but a very hazy knowledge of what those were, and that the steps had been taken without duly considering all the surrounding circumstances. That this is so is amply proved by last night’s meeting, and we cannot but think that our Sydenham friends would have been far better off as a portion of the city of Christchurch, at any rate for the present, than starting on their own account. 'J his more particularly applies, as there is every probability of the ward system being brought into force, and thus all portions of the municipality would be equally represented. However, they have thought otherwise, and will have to make the best of the bargain. One thing, however, we should advise them to do —and that at no distant date —it is to carefully examine and consider their financial position with respect to the works which must be done. They must remember that they have severed their connection with the Eoad Board. Henceforth no money from this body will be spent in the borough. Therefore, the whole sole control and responsibility of the roads, &c., rests with their Council. If, instead of having works carried out to keep pace with and develop the progress of the district, they find themselves, from want of funds, utterly unable to do anything for the improvement or maintenance of their thoroughfares, they will somewhat modify their views as to borrowing. As we have before stated, we are not opposed to the extension of municipal government, but it does seem premature, in this instance, the more so when by a temporary amalgamation with the city — always supposing it would agree —the the district would be placed in a far more advantageous position.