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Hokitika Guardian, 18 January 1923, Page 2

Tun decision of the Hospital Board to raise the substantial sum required to complete the important additions being made to the Westland Hospital by way of a loan, is a step in the right direction. ami follows the course of action long advocated by this paper. AA r ith permanent works such as those in band it is undoubtedly the right policy to pursue. Hitherto money has '-eon levied on the public bodies year by year, or there have lieen frequent appeals to the generosity of tlx' public. The local bodies have responded very complacently and the public very generously, and the Board hag carried on. In looking to the future the Hoard now realises that it is ton much to ask tile local bodies and the public to find roughly the half of Co.ooo within the next year or so, and the money is now to be raised by loan, and the repayment spread over 21 years. This wilt be more accommodating to local resources. and it is Imped that as the Hoard is determined on the policy, it will go further and see that a centralisation scheme results which will ease up the cost of administration generally Westland Hospital will be so well found in equipment and staff, that the orici nnl fdea of the late Mr AV. {.. Fowler and others to have the old peoples’ home adjacent to the AVesthind "Hospital will come to pass. Tn years gone bv a building was erected next ro the hospital for that purpose, but it came to be used for other purposes. The nrorisions for dealing with a larger institution at Hokitika are now very complete. There is an ample voter supplv. special laundry accommodation, good garden and dairy supplies, and other additions for necessary requirements. With the building of the administrative quarters, what was formerly the old peoples’ building will be vacated, nrnl will be available once fiyiii!n fnr tty* w>ty Est™ ,l ' H

• com mod :o lon rout'd be provided for the females, and then it would he possible | to concentrate nil under one local management. Tin’s is.a very material step | towards economical administration, and in the end imi't afford ultimate rc- ! lief to the ratepayers of the contributing local bodies. The Board having j determined on a line of economy in the I manner suggested, will he justified in. ! going forward with the policy for which I the loan in view is the first essential. Instead of proceeding iii a precarious way with an uncertain finance. the Hoard by raising the loan will have an assured position, and can go forward without any further halting delays. At/rltoroii there was not a numerous attendance i\t the Town Mali last night to discuss the Municipal loan proposals, the attendance was of a representative character. There was an absence of opposition or criticism of the proposals, which may. or may not, have indicated apathy on the part of the ratepayers. The Mayor, who was supported by some of Ids councillors, including the Deputy .Mayor, explained the proposals very luridly and indicated the policy pursued by the Council in the matter. The desire was to improve the outer portions ol the town as a first step lb aectiifiinodnto a larger population : to ensure a sound system of drainage: to stop recurring flood damage ;nnd to rentier available for building sites the large area ol suitable ground iit and about Mhitcomlie Square. The second step Wits to attend to and improve roads and paths which had been neglected in the past, and close up some of the large open drains which at present are something of an eyesore. if not. also, a danger and menace with their gaping dimensions close In much used thoroughfares. One of the Couneillors made ji point of the fad that it was costing L.'lOO a year In keep the drains open, and that amount would cover, practically, the interest on the hum, thus minimising the taxation which it might he necessary to impose under the borrowing proposals. An-

other Councillor Went wry luridly into the matter of drainage and sewage and pointed out the difficulty ol doing the two offices with one set ol pipes. The matters were separate, and would have to he dealt with independently. Altogether what- the representatives of the Council had i" sav was quite to the point, and a clear exposition of the Borough policy to advance civic interests, Tomsk who spoke last night trom the citizen point of view supported the Borough loan reiy wholeheartedly. The lion Michel, himself an ex-.Mayot-and very conversant with the needs and resources of the town, made a speech very notch to the point in his review of Borough matters. lbtouched on subjects outside the loan proposals in an interesting uav, w|jich was quite a justification in itself for the public attending and taking an active interest in civic affairs. As regards the loan. Mr Michel moved appreciation of Me- proposals, and went on to show how necessary the works were at the present .innet-tire to meet, urgent requirements The past polict of doing perm,-i lien i. work out of annual revenue, had starved the roads in the matter of effective maintenance, and by adopting the loan proposals the ratepayers would place Hie Council in the position of reversing that policy and attending to maintenance out of revenue, and doiilg sot permanent works from loans. In regard to the latter Mr .Michel made a good poinl in urging that the Council should secure an engineer at a reasonable cost tor consultation purposes, so that the works would he designed and carried out to the best advantage, and avoid muddling through. The motion was well supported and ultimately carried by the meeting without dissent. The matter now goes before the ratepayers to-morrow. As a last word we would like to join ill the request to the electors in urging them to take a personal interest in the matter and exercise their right to vote. Apathy is a had stale for any town. The citizens should he uj> and doing, and express their views for the benefit and guidance uf the Council in an appeal such ;t- thi~. The present poll is one in our opinion deserving support, lor the reason that- the works will assist to place the town in improved order and help it to function better for those living here. There is nut a great cost involved, but it progressive principle will be affirmed by the carrying of the loan to-morrow.