The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. "We nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice." TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1019 PUKEKOHE'S PRIME NEEDS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 455, 12 August 1919, Page 2

The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. "We nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice." TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1019 PUKEKOHE'S PRIME NEEDS.

THE Pukekohe Borough Council has at least four proposals of importance in its policy of development for the Borough, namely, the extension of the electric lighting and power service, the improvement of the roads and footpaths, the increase! reticulation of the water mains, and the provision of a drainage system over at least the principal business and residential area of the town. It can be assumed that the great majority of the ratepayers are in favour of these planks, in a moderate way: a small percentage of pessimistic, cheeseparing stick-in-the-mud nonprogressives will he in opposition ; against the latter may be balanced the real men and women who count most —those who have the clarity of vision and the commonsense to knowthat the cost of these facilities would he repaid lo the town in many ways. Towns, like individuals and nations, cannot stand still : they must either go forwards or hack wards, for such is one of the immutable laws of life. All the things necessary to enable Pukekohe to keep pace municipally with its increase in population, actual and prospective, would be provided without demur if — if they had not to be paid for! But. as we get nothing for nothing, and most people prefer to get something for nothing, doubtless there are some who will strenuously object to pay, even though every shilling spent may return to rhem with a good margin of pro/it, in the form of largely increased property values and the enjoyment of good roads, lighting and power services, drainage and sanitation, and a permanent and cheap supply of water for household and lire-lighting purpose-. To come to the hear! of the matter, the Borough of Pukekohe must, within the next twelve months, either sanction a substantial loan, to on er all four proposals, and perhaps a town hall also, or have the mortification of seeing some other town in the County creep abreast in the race. In due course estimates will be submitted, and we hope that when that important time arrives every

man venlurmg' ;ui opinion mi the desirability nr »!11ci-\viof giving effect to smdi proposals will first weigh his words rarefullv, and with a due sense of the responsibility towards Ids I el low citizens and the welfare of the Horoii.uil,- ( ' he choice made will depend the I ntiire of I'ukekolie l! wdl be Cl'lur made or marred. Y'tv li<m111 c1111y lately tin decisions of various towns in the I dominion to raise loans for developmental purposes have been chronicled in the daily papers, sllowillf.' I hat I lie people o| other places are alive to the neces sity ol shouldering those linancial burdens which are tlie price of progress. W'hal happens to the timid and the over cautimis ina\ be gauged by a brief review

of ;i liistm'N id Iwn W'aikato [owns, Hamilton and Ngaruawahia, Fort\ years ago Nganiawnhia, as ihc natural centre of the Waikati., and head-quar-ters of ih« old W'aikato SteamNavigation Company, bid fair to rise to a position of importance, Rut, unfortunately for Ngaruawahia, there were at thai time in Hamilton a few men possessing moral courage, enterprise, and live ideas generally, and by dint of seizing every opportunity that presented itself, they wrenched the sceptre from the apathetic hand of Ngaruawahia, and to-day Hamilton stands pre-eminent in the Waikato. It is still forging ahead, hut Ngarunwahia lias just arrived at the stage when there is a probability of the town heing formed info a borough. In Hamilton there has nearly always been a w(d I-supported Chamber of Commerce, which is more than can be said of Pukekohe, If many of the business men of a place are so narrowly self-centred, so blind to the larger interests that it is difficult to secure a quorum for a meeting, then the case is hopeless until some of the townsmen die of inanition and more new blood takes their place. The present Borough Council is, we are thankful to say. for the most part, composed t<\' men who are progressively inclined, but we cannot say so much for the men in business (they are not, really, in the highest sense, " business men ") who should be, but are not, actively interested in public affair-. If the Pukekohe Chamber if Commerce could only be vitalised, the support it could give the Council in all progressive measures would be of very great benefit indeed. It takes a considerable amount of moral courage on the part of members of local bodies to advocate the raising of a loan in these days when " the cost of living" is a phase frequently heard, and because it is hard to convince some people that by paving the interest on a loan they would really be saving money in the long run. Therefore it is doubly desirable that the business men of Pukekohe should bestir themselves to "grasp the skirts of happy chance, and breast the blows of circumstance" before the opportunities of a generation have flown.