The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 1883. THE PROPOSED BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1086, 22 March 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 1883. THE PROPOSED BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The result of the public meeting with regard to bringiug this town under the provisionsof the Municipal Corporations Act is most satisfactory. The people were almost unanimous in the matter. An attempt was made to get the outskirts up in arms against the centre of the town. It was said that they would have to pay rates for what would only benefit the main street. At present tl)py must pay rates to the .Road Board from which they derive no special benefit. They must pay rates to whichever body governs them. There can be no doubt but that before long the Road Board will have to levy a rate of one shilling in the £, and the law will nofc allow the Borough Council to make a heavier rate than this. Pecuniarily speaking, therefore, it is six of one, and half a dozen of the other to them whether they pay that Is in the £ to the Road Board or the Council. But we think that as far as direct benefit from it is concerned the advantage is altogether in favor of the local body. The way in which it was argued that more rates would have to be paid was this : —lt would be necessary to levy a special rate for the purpose of improving the condition of tho main portions of the town, and the outskirts would derive no benefit from it. We say positively that people in the outskirts would be greatly benefitted, For instance, if fever or any other epidemic broke out in the town would it not very probably extend to the outskirts, and perhaps result in death. Would not the prevention of such a contingency be of benefit to the outskirts? But even if a special rate were necessary—and we do not see the slightest danger of it we think the Council would levy ifc only on such parts of the town as would be specially benefitted by it. In fact we think it would be a yery wicked thing for the Council to levy a special, rate en the outskirts for work which would benefit only the central portion of the town. When the footpaths were asphalted in Timaru a special rate had to be struck, but *it extended only to such properties as weie fronting on the main thoroughfare. Could not the Council of Temuka act in a similar manner ? In fact we have no doubt but that it would, and we think the committee appointed to carry the matter through ought to take steps to disabuse the people's minds of this erroneous idea. It is utterly absurd to think that the outskirts would have to pay special rates for work done in the main street. The same argument will apply to bye-laws. If bye-laws are made they need not extend to places where they are unnecessary, so it is needless for people in the outskirts to fear that they will suffer in the remotest degree from the change. Theie is another- point that should not be lost .sight of. There is between £4OO and £SOO from license fees, etc. leaving this town every year. It goes into the coffero of the Coun'y Council, and not one penny of it ever returns,

If we had a borough here we could secure this sum to our own town, and \t stamls to raaeon that that would be a benefit. It would keep two men employed all the year round and surely that would be a benefit. Ihe fact is that this sum for one year, taken with the amount we must get from the Road Board as our share of its reserve fund, would provide a sewerage system for the town. Mr Lewis.late surveyor to the Road Board, tells us most emphatically that a supply of water could be brought into town from Brown's creek for between £6OO and £IOOO. The Road Board must hand over to the Council the greater portion if not the wholo of this money, and when it starts with such a sum as that we cannot see the slightest necessity for special rating. The Road Board would provids water for the town by levying a special rate. Would not the townspeople be very foolish to agree to a special rate when they can get it done without it. To put the whole matter in a nutshell,-, the Borough Council cannot rate people higher than the Board must do ; there is between £4OO and £SOO fo be kept and spent in the town which is now going elsewhere, and even if a special rate is to be struck it cannot be done without the consent of the ratepayers. Taking all these matter into consideration \v<i cannot see how anyone in his sound senses can object to the borough. Of course a member of the County Council, aud also of the Road . Board must naturally object because it is taking money out of the pockets of both bodies. Such opposition we should say is a great argument in favor of it.