£5000, or Nothing.

Patea Mail, 5 June 1882, Page 2

£SOOO, or Nothing.

Ratepayers will have to say Yes or No at the ballot-box to-morrow. Arguments for the loan are met by arguments against the loan, and many ratepapers will find it . hard to choose. Two parties in the Borough disagree severely about this loan. Each side has strong arguments, and each; side claims to be right. Ratepayers will do well to discard the pleas of both parties, and vote independently of these mischievous party 1 , divisions in the Council and in the Borough. Put the persons aside, and look only at the results of borrowing and spending. A loan is much needed to help the local population over a bad time. When new land gets sold and settled near Patea, the town will need no loan to make trade brisk. By that time the loan will have done what is wanted to relieve the stagnation in business. Railway extension also will be a further help ; and these together will so increase the town as to soon repay more than this loan.

As to the mode of expenditure, wo believe. the Council will be able, after the ballotj to reconsider the high level of Bed-ford-street, and alter it in a manner to meet every reasonable objection. The Act imposes no obstacle to this, though some persons pretend that no alteration of details can be made after the vote by ballot. If the gross amount in the estimate for Bedford-streets is spent on that streets, there will be no breach of faith. Details can be modified so as to carry out more completely the particular work ; and if that be done before the money is borrowed, there can be no breach of faith with the lenders. We see nothing to prevent the Council from so, altering the grade of Bedford-street as to make the the particular sum of money serve to complete, the side: walks. They can do this before the money is borrowed, and before the levels are legally proclaimed as permanent levels. A : fancy grade for a tramway need not be insisted on. The level can be lowered to an extent which will cheapen the formation, and enable the side-walks to be completed out of the sum allotted in the estimates. If this compromise will. satisfy most why not agree to revise the scheme in Council meeting, before any money is borrowed ? Where there’s a will in these things, there is a way. The scheme as a whole is worth voting for in preference to any yet suggested. The scheme can be amended before borrowing to meet all reasonable objections. Therefore the ratepayers will do well to give the scheme an independent support at the ballot, and secure the loan to push the place ahead.