THE HUNTLY PRESS. PUBLISHED WEEKLY AT 1 P.M. FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1913. Notes and Comments.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 42, 30 May 1913, Page 2

THE HUNTLY PRESS. PUBLISHED WEEKLY AT 1 P.M. FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1913. Notes and Comments.

1 ' r 1! 1U * 1 *' 11 1 * er> t lie » I LI ’ ‘ t )wn by electricity. formulated by Mr Wyllie, an 1 a presented by the Town Board ti the ratepayers, was rejected a the poll taken over two yearago, tho question of an eflicien and suitable illuminant has b?ei revived with every prosper of the former decision be ing reversed. The Lux lights which were installed upot the demand of the residsilts, t -r the lighting of the streets have not proved as satisfactory as wa> anticipated, while their etlieieney is in the inverse ratio t > the cosi of their upkeep which approximates £l5O pt annum -a sum that would provi bj interest ami sinking fund on an invested cipital of something like £3900 lu deciding upon electricity rather than gas the Board hamade a choice in keeping with the time . the m »re m > leru light appealing to the members on the groun Is of safety, cl eanliness, utility, an 1 economy. By municipal i even by i lit lining p over fr >m a private lira or syndicate, tho Board will not only be able to provide an efficient light for public purposes, but will bo in a p jsitiou to supply it to the residents at a profit that will g

3 far to save the amount paid by the ratepayers annually for the f lighting of the streets, an 1 will ; thus allow the local body t > provide more money, and that without increasing the rates, for the other public works so urgently me led. The Board’s balanc > 3 she ;t for tho year added March ' 30th. last, which is published in 1 extenso in th • pres n: issu •. shows how economically tine sih ill revenue has been expended, 3 and proves th it by careful and J 1 economical administration a / little can be made t> go a long way. in tho laudable effort to keep tho rates at a minimum, conveniences in the way of water and drainage have been somef what ii“glected —not because the Board was unwilling to neg >tiate loans for these useful purposes, but simply because the ratepayers wore unwilling to foot a hill for tile increased expenditure which f they would necessarily be called ! upon to meet. While installing an electric plant for lighting purposes, sufficient not only for present but for future needs, the question of a conjoined water supply scheme should be seriously considered, with a view t i secure a' plant of sufficient power to enable water to be pumped into a reservoir of the capacity required to supply a town tivico or three times the ■size of Huntly, Those who unjustly blame the members of the Board for not being progressive, forget that its members are the servants of their constituents, and that, while they may initiate reforms, they are powerless to carry out schemes entailing extra expenditure without tlie consent of the ratepayers wdiose will, as expressed at the polls taken for those things which some term necessities, and others call luxuries, is, and must be, the Board's law.