ELECTION OF TOWN COMMISSIONERS

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 194, 12 March 1887, Page 2

ELECTION OF TOWN COMMISSIONERS

(The following issued in the form of an Extra on Wednesday last.) Thursday, March 10th, is the day appointed by Government for the first election of Town Commissioners for Te Aroha. Therefore on to-morrow will devolve upon the ratepayers the duty of recording their votes in a favour of the five candidates who, in their opinion, are best adapted for the responsible office, who will be likely to devote the time and at tention necessary to the carrying- out of the duties entrusted to them in an efficient and satisfactory manner for the general benefit of the community, and who are known to be desirous of making, as far as they possibly, cao, local self government, in the form in .vhich it has now been granted, a thorough success. Respecting the merits and general adaptability of the seveial candidates, and their individual claims for asking and expecting the support of the electors, we do not purpose expressing an opinion ; in fact ouv remarks regarding- the cndidates will only be of a very general character. They are all too well known to local residents, and during the discussion and agitation that has taken place from time to time with ro-pect to local self-govern-ment for Te Aroha during the last twelvemonths, have ventilated their ideas on the subject. Of the eleven candidates nominated, viz., Messrs Lipsey, Dobson, Farrell, T. Wood, Downes, Smith, J. Comes, Frazer, Dillon, Hotchin, and Quinn, the first six strongly opposed the Borough movement, and were in favour of the Town District, two of the number, however, Messrs Farrell and Smith have retired, leaving therefore as the advocates of a Town District form of Government : — Messrs Lipsey, Dobson, T. Wood, and Downes. Of the other five candidates, Messrs Frazer, J. Comes, Hotchin, and Quinn, have condemned and opposed the formation of a Town District, and expressed themselves strongly in favour of a Borough, but now that the Town District has been constituted, have, we believe, expressed a willingness if elected to run the Town Di&trict, until such time as it is thought advisable to mer^e into a Borough, and include Waiorongomai and the goldlield. The remaining candidate, Mr Dillon, has at various times express' d the opinion that it was inadvisable to separate from Piako County, but is, we understand, in favour of a Town District in preference to a Borough. Now we have no intention of sajn'ng one word respecting any of the candidates, other than in the most friendly spirit. They are all residents in the place, and as such should have its progress and prosperity at heart. We cannot help saying, however, that it to us seems a matter for regret tint any of the candidates should at this early stage think it necessary to publicly st'ite they still have strong leanings towards a Borough in preference to a Town District. That idea, we are of opinion, should have been dropped when tho Town District was constitut* d, or set completely aside until the Town Di •-• trict was found to be a failure. If this prejudice in favour of a Borough over a Town District continue, it must of necessity prevent them trying to make the Town District the thorough success it should be, nay, more, how can a man try, or pretend to try to make anything a success that he tolls you plainly he does not believe in? One must have faith in the matter he undertakes as being the right thing, or else how can he do it justice or give it a fair chance. Therefore all those desiring to take office on the Town Boad, should put away from them this hankering after a Borough, if they dosire to give the present form of Government fair play. We repeat now what we have stated before that had not the Town District petition been granted, we should have remained attached to the Piako County Council, probably for some years] to come. A Borough was an impossibility seeing that the rateable value of the proposed Borough was far below the sum fixed as a minimum by the Act, whilst the Town District Act was abolished on the first of January la9t, so far as the constitution of any newTownDisI tricts was concerned. We were not in favour of the Borough movement because we believed it would bo a great mistake to have the phce saddled at the very start with a debt of several thousand pounds, as would necessarily be tho case were a ! Borough formed and the tramway liability taken over ; and further believing that cv'en were a Borough constituted and this liability met, it would leave the place hopelessly involved in debt and taxation, with every possi&le source of revenue pledged for the repayment of capital and interest to Piako County Council, and effectually prevent any money being raised by loan or otherwise for the improvement of the town, providing a water supply, at* tention to diainage, street lighting-, proper footpaths, etc., which are all so very essential if wo purpose making our township attractive to visitors and a health resort. A Town District has been granted, and Te Aroha has an opportunity of starting under very favourable circumstances, and comparatively free of debt, with its revenue and resources comparatively unpledged, and has within its reach the power of borrowing money, to a reasonable extent, towards defraying the cost of carrying out the more urgent works with respect to water supply, sanitation, etc., etc. If Town Commissioners are returned who will make the best of the position as it is to-day, and unite as ono man for the general good and improvement of pur town, it is within their power to effect within a very short time such improvements as shall greatly add to the desirability of tho township as a place of residence, which will attract strangers to come and settle amongst us, and generally the value of property will be largely increased. If, on the other hand, those returned are

still hankering after nnolher form of government, how can they possibly try i\nd make the present form of government that success they otherwise would do ; am\ valuable measures may bo prevented from being rallied out through the adverse votes of some of the commissioners themselves. If the thing is going to be a success there must be unity amongst those entrusted with the roins. We yen ture to predict, from our intimate knowlege oE the general feeling on the subject throughout the district, that were a Borough now obtainable for the asking for it, very few would be found who would sign ft petition in favour of it. 'The people would not care to voluntarily render themselves responsible for u heavy liability, for a very uncertain advantage, or to see our goldfield utterly dependent upon the income and influence derivable from a Borough, for assistance 1 here is a general feeling too that whilst is is tobe hoped harmony and good fellowship will exist between Te Aroha and Waiorongomai, still that if tied up together, they might not work so well as oy each transacting its own affairs.. Their are those who have been trying to i make the election a pavty question, representing some of those nominated as workin*' men's candidates, and others as—^ll thov don't clearly say what. Any attempt of Am kind is decidedly wrong. Those resident at Te Aroha are all working for a livelihood in some way or other ; or at any rate, if there are exceptions they are very few and far between. We have no intention of advising our readers as to who they should vote foi. Let those who have votes exercise the ns their common sense directs, and let those who may be returned combine to make the most of the existing form of local government. It should be borne in mind that the powers granted under the Town District Act are in very many respects quite as great as tbose granted under the Municipal Corporations Act, in fact in many instances identical ; whilst the expenses connected will working a Town Board are much less. Every one who b s a vote should as a matter of duty record it to-morrow, and remember that the c elected will hold office for the next ,wo years by virtue of the Act. And let those returned sink all petty differences of opinion and unite as one man to promote * c prosperity of the newly-constituted Town District, their motto Advance Te Aroha.