THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 1872.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 92, 25 January 1872, Page 2

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. THURSDAY , JANUARY 25, 1872.

It is a lioalthy sign to see such vitality displayed in the matter of the municipality. The general committee appears desirous to meet the wishes of the public in the matter, and at a meeting held at the Pacific Hotel yesterday it was resolved to refer back to Mr Goodall the question of the boundaries, so as to meet the wishes of the deputations from the out-districts, and not extend the line so as to interfere with the holders of residence sites on the hills. This being conceded, no opposition, we presume, will be made to the townships on the flat being joined into one municipal borough. The advantages to be derived under a municipality so far outweigh what may be said against it—provided its limits bo curtailed as now proposed that every well-wisher of the place should sign the petition. Extended powers, and’ the expenditure of a considerable-portion of revenue which now goes to the Government, will be the result of the Thames being created a municipal borough. It lias been proved that, in working, one eornoration will be less expensive than three separate Highway Boards, and it is not a very violent presumption to say that it will be far more efficacious, and much better adapted to supply the wants of these rising towns. It is understood that belore long the water works and the foreshore will be handed over as endowments, and the revenue from publicans’ licenses and other sources of local income ought also to follow ; therefore, in a short time, no despicable amount would be annually received. We do not see any necessity for a single penny of extra taxation to be imposed under a municipality than under the present system of District Boards—indeed, we believe it will be found that the burdens will be, lighter, and the benefits much greater, when the several Thames townships are thus united for the common good of all of them. We have heard several contradictory reports as to the real j feelings of the inhabitants of Paraj wai in the matter. We should like . to see Parawai added, because we believe it is the. rising suburb of the district, and will eventually be occupied by our local aristocracy. There will be the recreation grounds, the cemetery, and other places of public resort, and eventually,perhaps, extensive harbour works; but if Parawai objects the other townships must allow Parawai to follow its | own course until it sees the folly of being left out in the cold, and petitions to be joined to its neighbours. Parawai is in a very different position from , the holders of residence sites on the creeks and up the ranges, who naturally enough ask, Why should we have a municipality if we get no benefit from it? But of the residents on the bills .many are also ratepayers for properties on the fiat, and they do not object to the municipality at all in respect of their ratable properties—all they object to, and quite properly in our opinion, is the extension of the boundary beyond the base of the hills. It was well pointed out at a recent meeting that with the uncertainty of tenure on the Goldfield the borrowing powers conferred by the Municipal Act would be very difficult .to be put in force because nobody would lend money on such doubtful security. In all respects, therefore, we think it will be well to confine the boundaries to the limits of the townships, and it speaks well for the good sense of the general committee that they have met the views of the “outside” deputations without hesitation. It would be impolitic to enforce corporate institutions on unwilling ]ieo]ilc, even it were ever so much to their advantage, and when it is bv no means clear that they would reap any benefit whatever by a change, nobody can blame them for desiring to remain as they are. for the present, at all events. We hope to see this important matter brought to a successful conclusion without further opposition. As wejiave said in a former article, we do not apprehend any opposition on the part of the Governor or Superintendent

if they see that the inhabitant householders are at all unitedjn the matter. The present appears to us a very -

favourable time for initiating municipal institutions here. Auckland lias already greatly benefited since the death of the “ City Hoard ” and tie' birth of tlie Corporate IJorougli. and wo see no reason why a similar chang.e for the better should not be inaugurated at the Thames. A general committee meeting is to be bold on Saturday, when Mr Goodall will present bis report on the boundaries as amended. Before the question is finally decided we should like to sec another public meeting on the subject, so that it shall not be said with any degree of truth that the people as a whole have not had every opportunity of expressing their opinions on the subject, and that a few have taken upon themselves to dictate to the whole community what is to be done. However unfounded such a statement may be, it lias been made at the meeting at the Waiotahi and at the (Shellback, and it would be well that this should be refuted. Wc believe the establishment of a municipality here to be so greatly for the benefit of the place, that we should like to see all united in the matter, and that there should be no cause for complaining that public opinion has not been fairly and fully elicited on a question so deeply concerning the interests of the people themselves. The establishment of a borough here is a first step towards obtaining the control of the revenue locally raised, which is now absorbed by the Provincial Government, and goes a long way towards keeping up a system of government in this province which would otherwise fall to pieces for want of funds. We believe the panacea for many of the disadvantages under which the Thames now labours will be found to be a municipality, although we do not suppose it will cure every evil any more than any other scheme of self-government, but wc do believe it will confer real and substantial advantages, and that the sooner it becomes an established fact the better.