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Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6498, 24 December 1881, Page 4

Oh Monday the elections for the Oram* age Board are to bo held. We wonder if it is reall j true that only one member of the old Board is seeking re-dsctioii at the bands of his fellow-ratepayers. 11 this be the case, and we are afraid that it is, the cause of drainage is, we fear, in serious plight. A complicated, comprehensive, excellent scheme fans been adopted after much discussion and heart • horning. Haring bees adopted, the scheme has been partlycarried out. Mach remains jet to U done* which, to he done well, most be on the same lines as that which has been done already. Otherwise tbe schema as a whole, can never hope to be fairly tried on its merits. Consistency of management is above all things necessary to the successful druiaage of the district. Bat unless soae of the old blood re-enters the Drainage Board with tbe new stream, cocsmency becomes a thing of chance. It «iiL therefore, be a great pity if some of the old members are not again in their old places. If the ratepayers refuse to re-elect any of these gentlemen, should they stand for re-election, there will, of course, be no help for it. But we do not think that if tbe whole of the old Board were to stand for re-election, many of them would be rejected. We think the public would welcome most, if not all of them, back with confidence. At all events, whatever the result of the election, it would be a definite pronunciation of public opinion upon toe drainage scheme. We believe that the pronunciation would fortify the old Board in its policy. We wish the old Board had sufficient confidence in itself and the public to belie ve so to.