The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1883. THE TOWN.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1073, 20 February 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1883. THE TOWN.

We have heard that our remarks anent the advisability of haying this town constituted either a Borough or a Town District have had the effect of setting some people thinking, and that there is a probability of the subject being taken up. If we could be brought to believe that wc could do any good by advocating such a thing, if we thought that it were possible to arouse the people of this town to such a degree of activity as to consider the matter at all, \ie should feci satisfied that our work had not altogether been in vain, and be better disposed lo continue agitating the subject. Our conviction is that we can never succeed in doing much good for ourselves or for any one else in Terauka, although it is, we think, obvious that a necessity for some improvements in the sanitary condition of the town exists. What is the Road Board doing for this town ? When did it spend any money on making any improvements, with the exception of clearing off the long grass that H I grown on the sides of the main street so luxuriantly that wo expected they were going to let the place tor grazing purposes ? And yet the town has lo contribute to the rates just as well as if the money had been spent in town. Would it not he much better for the town to have a body of its own spending the money within itself than to give the spending of it to the Road Board ? The town has no representative on the Road Board, all the members are from the country districts, and all the rates are being spent on the country roads. We hare Hm able to ascertain the amount, u, contributed by the town, but we fancy that if it were added to what is derivable from hotel licenses, dog tax, pound fees, auctioneers’ licences, etc., it would be about five times as much as the Road Board has spent in the town for the last twelve mouths. We believe the revenue of the town would, without putting on a penny rate more than the Road Board does, he between £SOO and £7OO, perhaps more, and if that money were devoted to improving our streets, we fancy things would look quite different. It has been estimated that £IOOO would he sufficient to bring water to flush the side channels. That is, we believe, Mr Lewis’s estimated cost of bringing water from Brown’s creek into town. It will he seen that two years’ revenue would do all this ; hut the Road Board will not do it now unless the ratepayers contribute half the money, besides contributing the ordinary rates. The Road Board has about £SOOO lying on fixed deposit in the Bank, and if this town were to separate from it, a portion cl this should he given to it; at least that is the plan that has been adopted in other localities. Taking all these things into consideration, wc are of opinion that the advantage would he altogether in favor of making the town into a Borough or a Town District. The one would do just as well as the other. Town Boards have almost the same powers as Borough Councils, and would suit this place just as well, only that wc would not have any one whom wc could call His Worship the Mayor. Townships to the north and the south have availed themselves of the Town Boards’ Act of 1881, and they find it to their advantage, A town with no local government of its own has no standing ; it is looked upon as a village, and there is nobody who cares for it. It is the interest of every man who lives in it to advance it, hut what is every man’s business becomes nobody’s business, and so it is nobody’s business to advance the town. This is exactly the case in Teinuka. Every man in it is trying to fight the battle of life, and has no time to think at all of the future of the town. If there had been a local governing body to meet and discuss matters this w ould not be the case. Those men

would feel that it was a part of their business to look after the town, and they would do so, and it is very probable they might do a great deal of good when they put their heads together. Supposing, for instance, that it was telegraphed' all over the colony that Temuka, which had floated a Dairy and Linseed Company during the past twelve months, had been proclaimed a Borough or a Town District, what would people think but that it was a go-ahead place, and perhaps some enterprising men, with capital, might be induced to come and settle in it. Above all other considerations, however, is the question of improving the sanitary condition of the town, It is in a deplorable state, as evidenced by the fact that in front of the Bank of New Zealand the side channel has been all the summer filled up with mire of a bluish color, sufficiently offensive to sicken a person. If there had been a few members of a local body passing by there it would have been removed long ago. But the most serious matter is that there are many who never invito the night-cart to visit them. We need not enter more deeply into this matter. The practice of burying everything on sections adjoining dwelling-houses is very dangerous. We understand it is pretty general, and it ought to bo stopped. There are many other ways of looking at the subject, but we think we have shown sufficient grounds for at least inquiring into the question, and we hope it will be done soon.