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Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 174, 23 February 1867, Page 2

We are glad to_see that the question' of extending municipal powers to the inhabitants is creating a proper amount of public interest, and we. are glad also of ■ the opportunity afforded by our columns for the. discussion of the quet.tion in its various bearings. "We have no desire to check this discussion, but we may make a few remarks regarding what appeals to us to be the chief'bbjec. tion. of those who are opposed to the measure. As we understand the matter - Mr Whall and those who are guided by him object to a municipality because he is afraid it would be the means of throwing certain lar^e and costly works on the shoulders of the citizens. He has .mentioned the piling of the river bank, the extension of the wharf, and the improvement of the navigation as matters the cost of which would have to,?be defrayed: by the public in the event of the town being declared a municipality. We are puzzled to know how such a conclusion could be arrived at. There is nothing in the -Municipal Ordinance giving any responsibility of this kiud, whilst it; is quite certain that the inhabitants would never be rated for any such purposes. ' We can : point to several instances to show the fallacy of Mr. Whall's objections— take the case of Ly ttelton,--for example ; although tfiat town is. a municipality the; harbor works are retained in the hands of the Government and paid for by votes of the Provincial Council. Take L)unedin again j ( which • although a Corporate city has liQ control over the harbor and jetties, aud defrays no portion of their cost, -Even in London and Liverpool the docks and matters relating to the navigationi ,of ; the ports are' vested |n separate corporations. The only purposes for which local taxation is either necessary or .usual are

those immediately affecting thW-cbm.' fort, health and convenience of the inhabitants; the ' i-epair of streets, drainage^ abolition of nuisances, regulations for the prevention of fire, and other minor matters which from time to time need attention. No one „ who has a due sense of the duties and obligations of citizenship could object to taxation for these necessary purposes, and we are surprised to find any objection .of this kind emanating from t lie quarter it has done, It is 'necessary for" the public to remember this-— that until a legally constituted body is established to look after the want's of the'tpwUj nothing can be done to remedy the many glaring nuisances and abuses which exist, ■'•."'■ . We undersfavnd tliat Messrs J. Fisher Heron, and Simmons are going^rouud to obtain signatures' to. a memorial requesting the Improvement Committee not to take any steps with regard to a municipality until the monies voted for the works -previously' mentioned have been expended Now, how in the world the citizens can endorse a, memorial of this kind is a mystery to us, after they have already expressed- themselves so strongly previously in'.favoj^bf the very course they are now aske'd^o object to. The promoters of the memorial use Mr Whall's nonsensical aj-gmnent with regard; to the jeopardy which the possession of municipal jjowers would place the public works. We tnist ihat the. common sense of the inhabitants will .show them that these arguments are utterly fallacious, and we hope also tliey will not stultify themselves by giving heed to .them, Mr Whall, of all meir ought to know better, seeing that he was a member of the special committee appointed by the 'provincial Council to report on the Lyttelton sea wall. The mere fact of the Provincial Council assuming control over this matter onght to convince Mr Whall that tlie work of conserving riyers and harbors is uot a matter with Avhicli Muriic ipal Councils have to deal. To 'put an end to the conflicting ideas of what the public opinion 1 really is, it would be letter to call a public meeting specially to decide whether' a municipality be desired or not. This appears to us to be the only course which caiv lead to a positive result, and" we Avish that those who are in favor of the measuie Ayould take steps for eliciting an expression of public opinion that would admit of no. mistake. Mr Simmons says that nine out of ten of the inhabitants are opposed to a muni , cipality, whilst Aye and many others assert the contrary. Let a public meeting decide the matter. .-.',•