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Hokitika Guardian, 5 September 1922, Page 2

In the course of n. thorough and thoughtful review of political and economic conditions. Mr William Borah, warned liis colleagues in the United States Senate that unless they lighten the tax burden, a political revolt is certain. Senator Borah declared that the .Republican majority in Congress will he held responsible at tho next elections for deliberately opposing th<> will of tho people and for failing to keep their campaign promises to re. duco Governmental expenses. The patience of Americans, he said, like their purses, is near breaking-point, and he warned them that a day of reckoning will surely come if legislators persisted in the attempt to saddle the people with a political soldiers’ bonus costing £13,000,000 and involving extra taxes for the next 250 years, and. with other proposed obligations, to increase the national indebtedness from .C 1,400,000,000 where it stands to-day. to a figure which it would take 1000 years to pay off. Ho declared that every dollar tho American Government engaged itself to pay during the next ten or fifteen yenrs would have to ho met by Americans themselves, because there was no use blinking the fact that no financial aid might be expected from abroad. The fact is. Senator Borah declared, that throughout the world national expenditures are increasing, while the sources of revenue are dying up. Tho situation has got upon the public’s nerves, and the people are manifesting their displeasure in the ballot-box, in » strikes, riot and bloodshed. He predicted that tho time will come when the United States must “stand at the Marne” in preserving financial civilisation, and added that the “nation which will lead in future is the one which will control and dominate, not a nation of armies and navies, hut a nation of economic power, of prosperity at homo, and financial reserve.

Tifu demand for residential sites about j the town continues, indicating a steady i growth in population, and seems to ; give [nil wnrrantiy to the Borough Council taking up civic improvements which will permit various works in j sight of a permanent nature being done j out of borrowed money, while ordinary « repairs and upkeep might lie provided j for out of the annual revenue. For a j long time past the permanent works f have been done out of revenue, with j tho result that regular maintenance j has been neglected. This is manifest to those who visit various streets, several of which are worn down to the rough formation, and are both dancerous and an eyesore. With tho im- ; moved urban conditions manifesting

themselves, there is every reason for the community to bo courageous about, tho matter of a local loan of reasonable proportions, because it seems to he the only means whereby the town can be set in reasonable order in good time for the largo influx of visitors in 1924. Tho relief which would be afforded to local revenue, would enable special maintenance matters to bo attended to throughout next year. If this prris' poet were in sight no doubt the burgesses would lend a helping hand as is done in other places by assisting to keep their frontages in cleanly order. Co-operation between the civic authorities and the individual ratepayers would give very picasing results if the partnership were encouraged as has been suggested It is very plain that the people ns a whole are ready to help themselves if they had a proper.lead. That dirction might well come from the local body responsible for the amenities of civic life, and the lead would infuse a degree of healthy citizenship ivhic hwonld he a pleasant surprise ill nil directions. Unity of action in tiib manner indicated is therefore to be hoped for greatly.