THE Grey River Argus. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1869.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 568, 7 September 1869, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1869.

It is a very healthy sign of the times to find-so much interest taken in the Municipal elections which are now close. "upon" us, especially at a time" when, to be a Councillor, involves the sacrifice of much valuable time, not in the pleasing duty of spending the public funds, but in scheming how-to rescue the Borough from the maze Of financial difficulties in which its affairs have become entangled. The "honor" of the seat is all that is to be gained for some time to come. There are none of those delightful little jobs to be perpetrated _wMch..Lar_e_laid_tc Ljthe. charge of Town up of your own footpath, or the placing of a lamp quite by accident at a particular door ; although some people are still savage enough to insinuate that such things have been, and are still being done* even in Greymouth, where none of , the ; Councillors were, ever known to take part -in the discussion of a subject in which he was directly or indirectly interested ! Perhaps the knowledge of this, and that it required no special thought or training for the position, caused the majority of the candidates for the vacant seats in. the Council to come before the public meeting on Saturday night with no explanation of the course of conduct they intended to pursue if returned, but simply asking the , public to accept the broad and wide pledge that they would do their best to advance the , interests of their constituents— a pledge made by every candidate who ever stood for a seat in a public body, and acted on only so far as it suited the interest or convenience of the candidate himself. Promises such as the3e are made only to be broken, and although^; in some cases as much confidence may be placed in the man who says nothing as in the one who is profuse in his pledges, yet the public like to hear a plain statement of opinion with regard to the questions of local interest which are at the time agitating the community, in order to them to judge! of the breath or narrowness of the ideas of the man in whom they are called to. repose so much confidence. It is strange that, under the circumstances of, the Borough, gentlemen should come forward to solicit the suffrages of the ratepapers, who have no, opinion to express — no policy for the future to enunciate —no u nQw way to pay old debts" with which to enliven the dulnes3 of the prbciediiigs. Fresh blood is certainly wanted in the Council, in the shape of men who are* ribt afraid; to speak their minus freely, and point out existing abuses for the purr poae of removing them ; and it was therefore hoped that some of the candidates would have shown that they possessed the necessary qualifications to carry on this good work. In this the ratepayers on Saturday night were disappointed, for the general opinion of the candidates seemed to be that they would have to be entirely guided by circumstances, and they could not say" what course they would adopt on any: public question/until they were seated , at . the: Council Board. It is too late then— the present elections being 1 for three years—to' remedy any mistake, supposing such to _ hive been committed ; so that the reti- ; cence of the gentlemen to whom .we have referred' is the more:- to be regretted.. These remarks do* not apply to Mr Strike-, who has represented the West Ward in

•the Council during the pa^t year, and who again seeks the. suffrages of his cqnstituents, for h.e wen^; intp a full explanation of the pa^t proceedings of the Corpora T tion, and pointed out thp course, of policy which he intended to adppt f pr the future, Qn many questions which have come, befpre the, Council, we have considered it our duty to differ with -thatgqntieman, but still anyone carefully watching his conduct in the Council coxild not fail' tp form the opinion that in him the West I W^rcl had secured the services pf an able and most consistent representative, who pnght npt tp be cast aside, simply because a new man is in, the field. With regard to the, othe,r. candidates, who have placed, their sepvice.s. at the, dis-: ppsal pf the ratepayers, the,- tqwn, has cause to be proud tp fiftd so many intelligent, active business-men cpm.ing forward, an.d althpugh they have npt chpsen to enlighten the citizens as tq their, opinions, yet there is reason to belie.ye, that whoever is returned will do hpnor. to the, seat. But this plight not to cause the ratepayers to treat the result of the electipn with indifference. There is a ohoice to'bemade,! arid it is to be hoped that the matter yyil be considered on its broad principles, irrespective of personal or party feelings; and that the men who have shown by their past conduct that they have the best interests of Greymouth at heart, and are able to command the support pf the Council in carrying out their schemes, will be returned' at the head of the poll.