Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, FEB. 14, 1893. Water and Roads.

Manawatu Herald, 14 February 1893, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, FEB. 14, 1893. Water and Roads.

A few months ago the Borough Council passed a resolution asserting it was advisable to raise a loan for water and roads. Since then no action apparently has been taken, at any rate nothing further has been mentioned' about it at the Council meetings. "When the resolution was passed we urged Councillors to be careful, as though the Mayor had voted tor the resolution yet he had spoken against the principle of loans a f his public meeting prior to his reelection as Mayor, and we feared without bis hearty co-operation any effort to secure a vote for a loan would be ineffectual. Though advising caution we urged action and suggested that the Borough should be divided up amongst the supporters of a loan at the Council table, and a personal canvass made. We fear that this has not been done and instead of which the Council is becoming pledged to a large outlay for water, without the least security being obtained that the same liberality will be shown towards roads. This has become apparent by the proceedings of the last meeting of the Council A small amount of gravelling was suggested by Or Austin but refused because what spare money the Council had would be' needed for the water supply. Our Mayor evidently has not got the "hang" of the possibilities before him or else he is going back upon his pledges prior to big re-election. He sought support from the country burgesses on account of their requiring some one to watch that the town Councillors did not spend all the rates in the immediate neighbourhood of the Main-street. He knew that £100 or more had been previously promised, as an instalment of a loan, towards the artesian well, and at the last meeting he was aware that further expenditure had been . incurred and proposed which would increase the amount for water: by another £100. In the face of this, though agreeing with the resolution as to a loan, he has taken no part in endeavouring to ascertain the feelings of the rate-payers I It will be remembered at the election a £1500 loan was suggested, £500 for water, £1000 for roads, being what was considered an equitable proportion between town and suburbs. We hold that this appeared fair, but what the. Mayor and Councillors are doing now is distinctly unfair to; those residing outside of the centre 61 the town. The Mayor, whilst asserting he is against a loan, has permitted JJ2OO practica'ly to- be borrowed by the centre of the town, crippling the Borough's finance so much tWt he was unable to permit of a temporary use of .-650 for a main , road for \he space of five months. If the Maj'ftr was justified in refusing Or Austin's 'request he has certainly endangered Ihe position of his country constituents by letting the water liability Mrift in the way he has done. We draw attention to the position, not so much as to find fault as to urge ah energetic effort being made to put all the ratepayers upon an even footing; For our own part we do not grudge the expenditure upon the Water, supply, but we have said all along tjhat it bag/ no business to be':paidP\for ouf of

ordittavy rivenuet oS though water is of the first importance to many rate payers it is not so to two thirds and they have no right to be neglected. A loan must be raised,, such an expenditure upon the artesian well having been agreed tp r ami the loan should be placed before the ratepayers before the water is assured, as if the water is obtained it is not wholly certain that those who most want it would vote for the loan. If water is obtained prior to a vote being taken it appears just possible that the suburban burgesses will find thtir rates appropriated to pay off the overdraft for the well, leaving so much less money for road formation. This was never intended when the well wag started, it was ntofc intended by the Council or the resolution re obtaining a loan would not have been agreed to, and the Mayor will have to be held answerable, if, by delay, the honest intentions of those advocating the trial for artesian water are spoilt by the whole cost being thrust upon the Burgesses owing to the poll for a loan not having been put forward at a time when all would be anxious to secure its success.