THE GLOBE. SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 1880.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1924, 24 April 1880, Page 2

THE GLOBE. SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 1880.

As we predicted, and indeed hoped, the costly schemes for water supply propounded by the City Council were almost unanimously rejected by the public meeting of ratepayers held on Monday last. The City Council seemed, so far as could be gathered from the speeches made by the only two supporters of the scheme who spoke, to be somewhat half-hearted in the matter. They did not, as they were supposed to have done, put before the ratepayers the reasons which induced them in the Council to support so warmly the extensive schemes they proposed for the adoption of the ratepayers. "We may point out that from the first we have admitted the necessity of an improvement in our present system of water supply for fire prevention purposes. Of this we think there can be no doubt. Mr. John Ollivier with that remarkable flow of eloquence which characterises him, and a keen sense of what was sure to be the popular side of the question, made, we conceive, a mistake when he denied the necessity of the Council taking charge of the matter of fire prevention. It is all very well for a gentleman well knowing he has the popular voice—ever averse to the slightest incroase of taxation—with him, to say that we should leave this entirely to fire insurance companies. Such an argument, when calmly and carefully considered, will not hold water for an instant. To do this would practically be to place the public almost entirely at the mercy of fire insurance companies. They could, and no doubt would, at once raise their rates, supposing the Fire Brigade to be abandoned, and the citizens would find, instead of paying the small percentage they now do to keep that efficient body in existence, that they would have to pay double or even treble in the shape of increased premiums. Then, again, Mr. Ollivier's argument as to the insurance companies desiring this extensive scheme to be carried into effoct, this is as fallacious as his first one to which we have just alluded. The immediate effect of an increased water supply would be & reduction of premiums, bocause plainly there would be a reduction of risks. The citizens having at their command an efficient water service, would at once demand a lower rate of fire premiums. Failing this being granted, they would either decline to insure at all, or other associations, willing to take risks at a fair rate, would come into the field. It will thus be seen plainly that Mr. Ollivier's flowing periods about the Insurance Companies wanting to take their dividends out of the pockets of the ratepayers, though admirably suited for the platform of a public meeting, will not bear the test of calm reasoning. We hope the ratepayers will at the poll emphatically reject both schemes submitted to them, not because the city does not require improved means for fire prevention, but because they are far and away beyond our requirements, and, what is more to the point, our means. Let the Council come down with a simple scheme for an increased supply of water for our Fire Brigade, and we shall be prepared to consider it on its merits, and, if thought worthy, support it; but to think of spending the large sums proposed in our present condition is utterly absurd.

Otje readers will remember that for a long time efforts were made to induce the Government to erect a new Magistrate's Court, so that the business of the department might be transacted with that amount of efficiency which is almost impossible in the building where it is at present located. The pressure brought to bear was successful, and the Conrt House erected ; but, though the building has been for some time past out of the •ontractor's hands, a delay which is somewhat inexplicable has occurred. It is true that, not reckoning the extra rooms to be added, some slight additions and alterations are required, but, with despatch, these might easily have been carried out in a fortnight at the utmost. Some six or seven weeks have, however, been allowed to elapse, and no sign has yet been made of the commencement of these alterations. It has long beer, patent to every one having any business to do at the Resident Magistrate's Court that the present building is miserably inefficient for the purpose ; it is a perfect black hole in summer, and a sieve in winter, and the wonder is that the presiding Magistrate has not long since had to apply for leave of absence on account of ill-health, induced by the abominable place in which he has to sit day after day for so many hours. Not only so, but the public business is unavoidably impeded. There is no accommodation at all for the staff of the Court, the wretched little hutches, misnamed rooms, in which they are forced to discharge their duties, affording them no opportunity whatever to do so either with comfort to themselves or satisfaction to the public. All this has been so frequently urged upon the notice of successive Governments both by the members of the Assembly for the city, and the local journals, that it was only natural to expect that no unnecessary delay would have been allowed to take place in the completion of the new building. But, as we have shown, through the ladies of some one, a long time has elapsed since the erection of the building, and nothing has been done to fit it for occupation, There has been nothing to prevent the fittings being placed in the building. We hope that, in view of the winter season approaching when the present Court House is all but unfit for human habitation, some vigorous measures will at once be taken to place the department in possession of their now quarters without delay.