THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES THURSDAY, MAY 7, 1925. CIVIC AFFAIRS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19473, 7 May 1925, Page 8

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES THURSDAY, MAY 7, 1925. CIVIC AFFAIRS.

The! review of the operations of the City Council during the past two years, which was given by the Mayor on the occasion yesterday of his re-installation in office, necessarily covered the ground that was traversed by retiring members of the Council in their election speeches. The period was one of progress in all respects, more particularly, it may be suggested, in the adoption by the Council of a policy of tramway extension which, the Mayor frankly admitted, was long overdue. The extensions that have been approved leave still unsatisfied the claims of tho residents in various parts of Greater Dunedin for facilities of conveyance to and from their homes. Tho opinion has been expressed by authorities in the Old World that the system of electric tramway traction, modern although it may be said to be, will in the near future be superseded by other systems. That is a view that cannot be wholly ignored by the members of the Council, though it may not be one that at present should greatly influence them since the Corporation itself supplies the power by which tho electric service is operated

and docs so at a relatively low cost. The introduction of motor buses which shall serve as feeders to the tramway service and also “try out” the revenue possibilities of additional extensions of the tramway system that have been suggested, has been an event of only the past few weeks, but it is interesting to learn from the Mayor that the bus service to the Anderson’s Bay cemetery has already proved profitable. That being so, it is reasonable to suppose that a service of a similar nature to Maori Hill during the hours of the day when the traffic is heaviest would be not less profitable, although it is to bo apprehended that motor-buses are not vehicles of the class that can be most economically used on roads with severe gradients. The Mayor justifiably described the road paving that has been carried out in the last few years as a great success. The citizens as a whole cannot fail to appreciate the improvement which the use of Trinidad asphalt has made in the appearance of the roads that have been laid dawn in this material or to note with satisfaction the manner in which these roads have stood the test of hard wear and tear. If there were any among the electors who were impressed during the election contest with the argument that the profits of the municipal departments should be wholly devoted to reducing the price of the commodity produced or the cost of the service rendered, it may be instructive to them to learn thajt. the Mayor stated yesterday that if this policy were pursued, an increase of sixpence in the pound would be necessary in the city rates. The householders who all pay rates either directly or indirectly—for none among them escapes—will be able to estimate for themselves what it would cost them if the plan of making transfers from the profits of the trading departments in relief of the rates were discontinued. The plan would involve a breach of faith with the ratepayers whose credit was pledged to the lenders of the funds that constitute the capital of the municipal trading concerns and in the case of an enterprise like the tramway service would mean that the ratepayers would be taxed in order to present concessions to visitors to the city. The Mayor promises that the policy of the new Council will bo one of advancement. The personnel of the Council being substantially the same as that of the past four years, the community may anticipate that the affairs of the city will be conducted for the ensuing term upon tho same lines as those with which it is familiar and it will rest content in this expectation.