THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. TUESDAY, JULY 30, 1872.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 252, 30 July 1872, Page 2

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. TUESDAY, JULY 30, 1872.

The members of the Kauaeranga Board ; have again become personally responsible for an overdraft of £SOO at the bank, in consequence of further delay in the receipt of Governmental subsidy and rates in arrear. We certaimy think this is a position in which these gentlemen should not be placed. This is not the first time that a similar responsibility has been incurred by. this and the Waiotahi Board also, and the thanks of the ratepayers and residents generally are certainly due to the trustees for taking upon themselves, as individuals, such au amountoflianility. The risk, probably, is not very great, but the obligation is still considerable. Without this overdraft, works would be at an absolute standstill, and from the report of the Engineer laid before the Kauaeranga meeting last night, it will be seen how urgently repairs are needed, if indeed that fact needs any illustration beyond the ocular demonstration of the unfortunate ,who is compelled to travel through mud and mire, over the so-called streets of our golden townships. To-day another conference is to be held in reference to the Municipality. That it may advance, another step towards the attainment of this most desirable object, is most devoutly to be wished. Until the Thames townships are incorporated under an Act giving them a fair share of the revenue locally raised, and also laud endowments it will be utterly impossible for the trade and traffic of the place to be kept up during the winter months, and provide the most ecessary sanitary requirements. We have repeatedly called attention to this subject—so often, indeed, that we should not have again alluded to it for a time but for the fact that it has been so forcibly forced upon our notice by the position in which the Kauaeranga Board found themselves placed last evening. In view of such a state of things it seems almost a wonder that any one can be found to fill seats at our local Boards, but singularly enough the seats were keenly contested at the recent election, and at the present moment proceedings are being taken by a defeated candidate to upset the election of a more fortunate rival! If a little of the money ■

which will be expended in'law over this devoted to filling up a-Tew of the worst holes in our main thoroughfare 1 — Pollen-street —or in any'other of thd 'very many streets urgently needing repair, we Venture to think the outlay would be to a better purpose. Be this as it may, it is beyond all doubt that our local Boards have neither the power nor funds to deal with the social requirements of the place, although they have the will to do the best they can, as they have evinced on more than one occasion. If a Municipal Bill is to be introduced at all fhis session, ho time should be lost in deciding upon it. So far the efforts to start a Municipality here have not been very successful, and people are not giving the sort of “long pull, strong pull, and pull altogether,” which they should do on the present occasion. The longer the settlement of this question is delayed the longer will the people at the Thames have impassable roads, bad drainage, or none at all, and an almost total stoppage of traffic for several months in the year, not because the present local authorities are unmindful of the requirements of the place, or unwill'ng to discharge their duties, but simply because they have not funds at their disposal. A very large sum is raised here, in proportion to the amount expended, notwithstanding the statement of a high authority to the contrary, and the sooner means are taken to have that revenue expended here-iu roads,drains, and local improvements the better. That the conference to be held to-day will advance matters a stage in the right direction is much to be desired.