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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 191, 11 February 1914, Page 4

THE PKKSS .VXD ITHUC BODIES. The Xew Plymouth ISorough Council bestowed some attention upon the Tress at its meeting on -Monday night. .Mid for half-an-hour or so the Mayor and Councillors unburdened themselves of thoir feelings. Vor the most part they were directed against our contemporary, which had been unkind enough to call attention to the management of the affairs of the borougli and to suggest that a radical and prompt alteration would be in the best interests of burgesses and the town. Our eoutem. porary may be left to light its own battles. We would, however, like to make a few general observations. We believe that there has been a steady improvement in the methods employed h the borough during the past two years and that the Engineer is doing very good work. We believe also that thqre is considerable room for further improvement, and ihat there is urgent necessity for adopting and working on a more delinile and efljcient system. Bricks, wo know, cannot he made without straw: anil streets' and footpaths and the rest cannot he maintained without money. To put the main streets of the town in first-cla„s order the present rates are iiiMilllcicnt; to borrow for the purpose is not n wise policy. If, therefore, we are to have lirst-class streets, footpaths and the like, we must increase the rates. Will ratepayers agree to Unit? It would he. the cheapest course in Die- long run, hut \vc fancy burgesses, already apprehensive of a substantial increase in their rates and if the eritiil to the affairs

marks. Mit criticism, so long as it is just iuul honest, serves an invaluable purpose and should bo welcomed. Were some of the councillors a little clearor-visioned and broader-minded, they would not need to be reminded of this obvious verity. The ilayor expressed the opinion "that the Press should give its ;i lead rather than adopt the altitude it has been doing." Under the sling of the editorial whip, .Mr. Urowne lias, for the time being, j forgotten the part played by the Press in the regeneration of New Plymouth. H has given a lead in every movement making for ils progress and development. This is a fact that canned he questioned, and the Mayor, on reflection, will, we are sure, be the first to ad,nit his mistake. The Press is, at the same time, no more omnipotent or infallible than are Hie Mayor and councillors, and does not pretend to be. It does ils duty as it conceives it and is, we are sure, animated by no other motive than a regard for the welfare of the town. The fact that it criticises the actions of the Council is no reason for imputing to it unpatriotic or other unworthy motives. .It is easier and more pleasant to bestow praise! than to pass condemnation; to run with I lust ream than to tight against it, but the Press would not he worth its salt and fail miserably in its duty to the public, were it to pass unheeded matters that require ventilation and merit criticism. When the day conies for the Press to be afraid or be muzzled it will be a bad day for the Dominion. A free and independent Press is the greatest safeguard and the greatest bulwark of democracy.