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Hokitika Guardian, 15 June 1922, Page 2

A. pn gressive move is indicated by the motion to he brought before the Borough Council to-morrow evening in regard to a local loan for municipal improvements. The sum suggested is well wimin the means of the municipality, and the undertaking of a well-con-ceived plan of civic improvement is a step fully justified with the prospects immediately ahead of the | lace, The motion in effect, asks for a poll to lie taken on the question of a loan. The decision is, of course, one for the ratepnyers to decide, and we believe public opinion is fully alive to the necessity for the step, and that there will be a good deal of whole-hearted support to the project. The Council will no doubt see that the money is well appropriated, and that urgent and legitimate works, arc taken in hand. There is much that, can lie done in regard to roads, footpaths and minor drainage works, which will lie very advantageous to the town. One or two of the principal streets n'o in need of permanent improvements, while th(> kerbing and channelling of several footpaths is long overdue. There is urgent need for attention to some of the large drains, which require'to be constructed of permanent material. The sum mentioned £5,000 would not he an undue burden, seeing that the | expenditure will no doubt lie extended 1 over a term of two or three years. For 1 a very long time now all works have been done out of ordinary revenue, an 1 that lias bad a restrictive effect bo'h in regard to new works, and to maintenance matters generally, which were sacrificd at times for permanent or semi-pe’inaneiit work. A loan would give the ordinary Borough finance greater elasticity, and many small matters could be attended to out of revenue while the larger works could bo (lone out of loan funds. The proposal has much to commend it, and the Council would he "iso to pet a definite scheme before the ratepayers for decision.

To-day is the annual commemoration day of the signing* of the Magna Cluirtn. signed away back in June of 121.1 —over seven hundred years ago. Strange to say the Magna Charta Association which has tliKen up the annual celebration of the hl|rtorical event, wan founded in the United States, where ita headquarters are. But it is of course of British origin, and is designed as a common day of heritage between Great j Britain and the United States a day I to he revered by both great nations j which enjoy such large democratic lib- 1 ertv. The headquarters’ association regards the great charter as “the foundation of the liberties which we enjoy, and as it is the common meeting pointj for every citizen of every race nnt\' creed in the seven nations wjip believe

in civil and religious liberty, freedom of Press and speech—everything, in a word, on which" the liberties oi the seven nations are founded.” The seven nations referred to are the British Isles, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Newfoundland. It is pointed out that the day was observed by over 2900 Churches and Sunday schools in 1921. Magna Charta Day has, it is claimed the support and endorsement of loading organisations and public men and women in each of the countries in which it has been observed, including, in New Zealand, the Prime Minister.” The third Sunday in June,' that is next Sunday, is tlm day- specially selected to call the occasion to mind. The Association in the United States is only of late origin, yfit it will be noticed that it) more than two thousand churches itnd Sunday Schools last June, attention was drawn to the day. and the occasion to be marked. Alagn 1 Charta seems to tap the fountain of the nations’ liberties, and is something specially important to keep in mind. The observance bears a relation, also to our national loyalty ill that the recognition of Alagna Charta means the upholding of the constitution, the gem of our fuller national liberties and aspirations.