Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News. TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 1907.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVI, Issue 43083, 23 April 1907, Page 2

Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News.

TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 1907.

This above all —to thine own self be true , And it must follow as the night the day Thou canst not then be false to any man Shakespeare.

With nine candidates out of whicn to make a choice of six, electors have sufficient choice given to make careful discrimination necessary. The capricious voter who goes for a change, almost irrespective of policy, will no doubt favour some of the new-comers, and those who entertain doubts as to the future of Te Aroha, and believe in a close conservative policy will in many in-

stances vote similarly. But those, of which there are not a few, who believe that a municipality cannot advance without judicious borrowing in order to carry out all necessary

and progressive works and schemes for the ultimate improvement, benefit, and advertisement of the town, will be more inclined to register their votes in favour of the old councillors and those who are nominated to take the place of those who are retiring. The old Council, as a body, may be styled “ progressive,” but as the main schemes which they are engineering are as yet only partially developed, judging of the ultimate result with any amount of certainty is not in every respect an easy matter. Consulting the balance-sheet just completed, the main items of which were given in our last issue, one finds little or nothing to condemn, and the reduction of the debit balance, although by only a comparatively small sum, is a far better state than was expected from some quarters. It is, then, upon the question of indebtedness that the scales will be more likely to turn, and there are many who advocate extreme caution in the further borrowing of money for any purpose whatever. But whilst wisdom and care should

always be exercised in such transactions, it is questionable whether a too niggardly policy is advisable. For it must be remembered that the future of this town rests very much with the Government, which, by the recent purchase of two blocks of land, has considerably increased the annual revenue of the borough, and will apparently bring about a further increase almost immediately. With the increased goldfields revenue, the electric light scheme completed, and on a similarly remunerative footing to the waterworks, coupled with an augmented rateable value brought about by an increasing number of residents attracted to the town by reason of facilities provided by the judicious expenditure of public money, Te Aroha should continue to forge ahead. But there is one thorn that, will ever irritate the average ratepayer, and that is an increase in the rates. Commercial competition is keen, and business men do not care for increasing demands upon them for the running of the town, unless they get some very obvious and direct benefit in return If it is considered that the “ progressives ” can continue their works without causing any appreciable increase in the rates, no doubt they will find favour with the majority. If it were known that the Government would step in, say in two or three years and make this town rate free, possibly the ratepayers would not object to pay even heavier rates than the present, dur-

ing the intervening time. But there is no guarantee that such, however possible, will be the case, and therefore the rates must be kept in hand, lest people might be driven or kept away from the town. But of whichever men the future Council is composed, the developing of the ‘ town cannot be allowed to stand still, for such a policy would not be tolerated by any party. At any rate, there is not much doubt that each candidate has at heart the welfare and interest of the town as it appears from his point of view, and there is no reason

why, if elected, some of the newer hands should not govern equally as well as the older element. There are sufficient candidates to enable the election of a council consisting of one old and five new members, or of four old and two new members.

Pei haps between these two there is a combination that will serve the ratepayers well, and to their wise discrimination we leave the result.