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Hokitika Guardian, 31 March 1924, Page 2

In a round about way the decision ol the Commission as to tire fate of South Hokitika has- been made public. Tire substance of the linding is that the Borough Council may pay the County Council £350 to take over the area, and also defray the cost of a new valuation of the southern area. This appears on the face of it rather a good proposition for the Borough Council, but until the effect of tire new valuation is known, it is not dear how far the change would be acceptable to the ratepayers concerned, and they were the petitioning parties for the change over. The Mayor (who by the way has cor siderable landed interests irt South Hokitika) suggested to the Council that consideration be deferred and tire meeting adopted that course. The Borough Council lately had a “windfall” of some £l6O in royalties which went on to the South roads, and now the Council is to be mulcted in £350 cash to pass over to the area. Orr the other hand it would rid itself of territory which does not, yield revenue enough to maintain the roads etc., and it would by the decrease in its total capital valuation, lrave some relief from hospital levies. But- the Commission having found that in equity a new valuation should take place confirms tfio general belief that the south values are too low, and that generally the Council is the loser in consequence. The different aspects of the matter will create a divergence of opinion, but on the whole the situation seems to suggest the Council should part with tho area.

The complaint made at the Borough Council meeting on Friday night in regard to the quality of the electric light supplied the town is well founded. M Jeffries was quite right to voice public feeling on the matter, for the experience is often very tantalising. As one of the councillors remarked, the fluctuations of the light seem to visitors to he a source of amusement, and they regard the lighting system as something of a joke. There should of course he some way of overcoming the trouble. The town and the people have been very patient in this matter really. It has been recognised always that the Company has endeavoured to do its best, and generally lias been of very great assistance to the community at large, where it could, the Company has assisted liberally always. - This has weighed with the people in the patience shown, hut it is too much to expect such a confiding nature should he shown indefinitely. Really the voicing of the complaint has been long overdue, and on that account thanks arc due to Mr Jeffries for publicly mentioning the matter.