The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 1917. THE RETIRING COUNCIL.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 24 April 1917, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 1917. THE RETIRING COUNCIL.

(With which is incorporated The Taihapo Post and Waimarino News).

To-morrow the electors of the Borough of Taihape will have to select seven men from amongst the eleven who have been nominated, to conduct the business of the borough for the next two ensuing years. As we have previously pointed out, it is no time for trifling; it is rather an occasion when men, business men particularly, should endeavour to fully realise the responsibilities they are putting upon the shoulders of those for whom they vote, for whatever misfortune they may suffer by making a careless selection and creating an incapable council, it is themselves they must blame and not the wild thoughtlessness or the rank incapacity of those whom they selected. The successful conduct of the borough affairs depends mere upon cool, deliberate consideration and calculation than upon hasty, blind, hot-heaued exaggeration, therefore we hope that burgesses will well weigh the qualifications of every candidate before a vote- is cast. Five of the candidates have undergone a training in tire Council chamber, the value and importance of which nc elector who has ever be. a elected ir. a similar capacity will bo likely to under-estimate. These men have a training which gives Ihcv a claim to support of all proper!; owners, amrenders them of Incalculably more service to the borough man any new man unless he is possessed r-f administrative genius, can possibly be. They have advanced most important works

to a stage when the relinquishment of them to the care of others who have not troubled to learn what has been done would cause loss and delay. Of course the Mayor would do his utmost to keep a new team on the track, but even he will resent having such work as that thrust upon him. Besides, it is very desirable that there should be no semblance of a one-man Council, and that is what would happen If the deliberations on urgent big works and important financial questions are to be rapidly pushed on to a satisfactory conclusion. The old councillors nominated are Cunninghame, Healey, Joblin, Turnbull, and Wrightson, and everyone of these men can say with all sincerity and heartiness to all electors, “My interests are your interests.” They have proved their case with years ,of useful work; they have, as Mr. Cunninghame says, reduced the calls upon ratepayers, and meanwhile have put the finances of the borough on a sound footing; they have initiated means of overcoming great difficulties, and they have formulated plans whereby an extension of privileges can be extended to those "living outside the borough. As was conclusively and clearly shown in the publication of official correspondence in our columns of yesterday, they have considered, evolved plans, and commenced preliminary work for terminating the drainage nuisance that some hasty people have blamed them for neglecting on the western side of the railway line. In fact they 'have shown interest in the borough welfare of a nature that few men will exhibit, for some of them have used their own private credit to bring about reform for the benefit of the town and for the well-being of every man, woman and child in it. We are refering to the work of the old Council simply because, in the absence of any public discussion, it is the imperative duty of a public journal go to do. We have watched the deliberations of the Council at its meetings as no other elector has, we are sorry to say, for in most other towns it is customary on occasions to see a fair attendance of electors at such meetings, and it is from such attendances that new councillors very frequently spring. The men who have conducted the town’s business in the past have given of their best and they have achieved all that any reasonable man could expect of them. Therefore it would be manifestly unjust to allow this occasion to pass without some public acknowledgement of the valuable, disinterested services they have rendered. Their term of office has been one continuous proof that they have had no axe to grind, which in itself is one of the best recommendations any public man can •have, for as sure as there is any particular axe forced into the front the i hugely more important affairs of government and finance are neglected and side-tracked. Mr. Arrowsmith’s occupation of the Mayoral chair has been a distinct advantage to the town in the extraordinary stress laid upon public men. by the Empire being in a state of.war, big one fault is over-in-dulgence to his councillors. On occasions there is some doubt as to which councillor has his Worship’s eye, but this is a matter of little importance; it ig purely good nature, and in no way Jerogates from the excellent record -he Council has put up. All questions coming before him are given full consideration, whether they are great or small, and regardless of the import-

ance he may personally attach to them. The old councillors have wellearned the confidence of electors and those who are again offering themselves will doubtless be given that recognition that is their due at the bah lot box to-morrow. Two new men will have to be elected and their selection from those offering may be left to the electors’ good judgment. This amount of new blood in the town’s administration is ample to furnish that enthusiasm that is advisable and necessary, but which without the rein of experience ofttimes leads to huge and costly blunders. We congratulate the old Council on the very useful, important, and valuabfe work it has without remuneration so admirably performed in the best interests of the whole borough.