THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1879.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1736, 12 September 1879, Page 2

THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1879.

The ratepayers havo, wo think, cause for congratulation as to tho result of tho elections for the City Council just terminated. Tho gentlemen elected represent fairly the various interests of the community, and it cannot he said, as has been done on previous occasions, that any one interest has undue preponderance. Much of this satisfactory result is duo to the Ratepayers' Association. Our evening contemporary last Wednesday, in a style which we aro happy to say is peculiarly its own, hurst into a violent denunciation of the Association and its President, Mr. Pratt. It accused the Association of arrogating to itself unduly the right of dictation to tho citizens as to who should come forward. Now, it has done nothing of the sort; it has been all along most anxious that its operations shall not in any way clash with <i»o freedom of choice by tho citizens. The latter owe, we contend, a debt of gratitude to tho Association for havintr. 5- ll f midst of , the tnrmni 1 ■<* excitement of a general eloction, stept into the breach, and taken some sort of initiative movement. Had the Association not been in existence what would have most probably been the result ? Why, that the citizens immersed in the'more exciting and important issues of a general election would have been too much engaged to consider who wore tho persons best fitted to serve them in the City Council, and no improvement in the personnel of tho Council could have been looked for this time, at all events. By a little organisation this state of affairs has been avoided, and Christchurch has now one of the host working Councils it has had for a long time. It may be that the Association made mistakes; no organisation at so early a stage of its career can bo expected to be free from these. But the result of its labors is before the public. In every instance but two the ratepayers at large have endorsed the selection of tho Association, so that it would appear that the charge of cliqueism as unfounded, The new Council go into office with every prospect of a useful career. They inherit, as a legacy from their predecessors, a very important work, and one which we hope to see them give their earnest and undivided attention to at the earliest possible period. We allude to the water supjily. The late Council whether rightly or wrongly we will not discuss—have pledged -to a certain extent their successors by the adoption of the report of the committee appointed to consider the question. But the whole question will have to l»e considered by the new Council in Its general bearings, and that immediately. It is a question which should, for the interests of tho city, bo at once diseussed and decided on. Another question, also of great interest to the city, which the new members will have to see to, is the erection of Municipal buildings. It is not necessary to refer to the waste of time, labour, and money involved by the action of the late Council with reference to the designs. Tho work is a necessary one, and the question should be at once raised how it i« best to be carried out. Let tho Council take a broad and comprehensive view of the matter, making provision, not only for the Christchurch of to-day but for that of tho future, steering judiciously between a too lavish expenditure and an unwise parsimony, and above all things avoiding that loss of time and general! confusion of management which has of late so much annoyed the citizens with reference to this question. These and other items demand the immediate attention of the new Council. Their work is " cut out for them " and, having confidence in the business ability and commonsense of its individual members, we feel sure that those matters will receive their careful and serious consideration.

In conclusion, lot us congratulate the citizens upon the return of two of the old members who have, during 1 the past year, worked zealously and well for the interests of the citizens. Wo allude to Councillors Ayors and Gapes, both of whom aro, from their past services, entitled to the confidence which has been shewn in thorn. Their advice and assistance in the new Council will be invaluable, and their re-election is a graceful recognition on the part of the ratepayers of faithful servicos rendered.

Now that the Railway Firo Brigade Lave become part of the volunteer organisation in the city for the extinction of firo, it becomes necessary for the City Council to consider how best they can utilise those services. One thing is certain, the Railway Brigade should bo bronght within the roach of the alarm system, by including it within the range of the telephonic communication between the stations. So far as can be learnt, the wire for that purpose has boon brought as far as the Terminus Hotel, but has, for somo reason, ended abruptly there. Anothor pressing necessity is, also, the erection of an alarm bell at the station. The majority of the mombors of tho Railway Firo Brigade live so far away from the city as to make it difficult for them to hear an alarm from either of tho city stations. But a bell on tho railway premisos, which could repeat tho alarm, would at once ensure a muster of tho Brigade. It must bo remembered that tho Railway Brigade possess a very powerful engine, capable of working from the river in places whore the tanks could not bo used, and where, practically, tho engines of the other Brigade cannot reach without great difficulty. It therefore is a mattor of the greatest importance that steps should be taken to render tho

services of the Brigade, which have hoon so freely tendered, most effectual. Attention on the part of the Fire Brigade Committee to the two points to which wo havo alluded would, we think, bo attention well bestowed.