TO-MORROW'S POLL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 228, 25 March 1912, Page 4

TO-MORROW'S POLL.

The poll to be taken to-morrow by the people of St. Aubyn town district is one of the most important that has had to be decided in these parts, for not only does it involve the merging of the district into the borough, but upon the re suit depends the early installation of a tramway system for the town. A "sine qua non" to taking a tramways poll is the creation of a greater New Plymouth. This has been insisted upon by the ratepayers of the borough since the scheme was first mooted. They, wisely enough, have taken up the position that as the benefits .of tramways would be felt more by residents in the suburbs than by the residents of the borough, they should be prepared to "stand in" and bear their share of the responsibility. Fitzroy, as we know, recognised their obligation and have amalgamated, and so have the districts tlw.i are not likely to participate for some time to come in tramways if they are inaugurated. St. Aubyn is now the only district to fall into line and complete the greater New Plymouth scheme. If it is well advised, it will not hesitate to take the step. It has everything to gain and nothing to lose by doing so. Without its co-operation there will be 110 trams, at anyrate for many years to come. To obtain trams, hardly any sacrifice would be too great to make, because trams would revolutionise the suburb, enhance the value of property, and effect a direct saving to every man, woman and child living within its borders. The 'bus fares are now 2d, 4d and Gd (the latter to the breakwater). The tram charges would be Id, 2d, and 3d. The cheaper rate would enable people who work in town (and most of them do) to tram it home at mid-day instead of stopping in town for luncheon, as many at present regularly do. But these advantages aie self-evident, and need no emphasis. Merging with the borough will entail no sacrifice. On the contrary, it will confer many benefits on the town district. First of all, rates will be substantially reduced, in many cases, as we showed last week, by nearly one half. The water charge will be reduced from Is 4d to Cd. The charge for lighting the main road is now £3 15s per light; under borough jurisdiction it will be but £2 10s per light. Further, the side streets, which are not now illuminated, would be lighted, just as the other side streets in the borough are at present. The district will have the use of the borough's up-to-date plant and skilled staff in the maintenance of the streets, etc. This would effect a substantial saving and enable further work to be done. The saving would commence with the expenditure of the loan money just authorised. Then the district would participate in the profits arising from the electric lighting department and the revenue from the handsome reserves vested in the borough. No reason or argument can be advanced in Support of retaining the present form of government, with its unnecessary expense and waste. It may have served its purpose in the past (though we doubt it), but it must be clear to the most obtuse that the wise and proper thing to do now is to discard it in favor of the centralisation idea, with its economy and efficiency. The residents of the district have the deciding of the matter in their own hands to-morrow, and we will be surprised if they do not plump more solidly for merging than did any of the districts that have lately joined the borough.