The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1883.
It is again our unpleasant, but nevertheless bounden, duty to call'attention to the dereliction of duty on the part of the Borough authorities.' 1 Their sleepiness is of course a thing we have long been accustomed to, and any vgteps in the direc' ion.of Borough improvement, health preservation, or prevention of damage to the property of burgesses, is, we know, taken only by them when every possible pressure is brought to bear on them. Their modesty, want of comprehension, or, to use an Americanism,-their " cussedness," seems to display itself in their every action,/or perhaps inaction would be a fitter term. The cause of our present disquietude is the scandalous state of the drains or watertables throughout the Borough. In Upper Pollen street and most of the cross streets the decomposing and thickening contents of the gutters, frequently stirred' up by ducks and other, animals, are not only highly offensive bat extremely dangerous to public health, .and unless s me steps be taken to remove the poisonous matter from,-these'' fever beds an outbreak of. fever is tolerably certain to result. 'Were not the Borough Council the Board, of Health they would doubtless be brought to. task by the body supposed to see that the sanitary state of the town is not neglected. At 1 the lower end of. Sealey street the channels contain a quantity of dirty water which has long accumulated, and is covered with a thick coating of green and vari colored matter, which, upon being stirred, emits many and poisonous gases. It appearg surprising that the residents. so quietly submit . to., the existence of .the dangers .we refer tp. The members of the august body which meets fortnightly to pass accounts and indulge in a little amateur legislating amusement, should be awakened to a sense of the 'duties which they were placed iv their present position's to perform, and reminded that they are not entirely free from some responsibility. We know that whenever any request is made to the Council which involves the'expeoditure of money, that etiergetie and able body invariably gim the paltry excuse that they
hare no funds. Tbe very best thing they can do is to provide themselves with some. Donbtiess it would be too much to expect them to possess any extraordinary financing ability, but, when necessity demands it, special rates should be levied, and essential works carried out. Nearly two months ago the Council carried a resolution to spend a considerable sum on street im provements m the Borough, and provision was made as to how the money should be qbtfrined; yet, here we-are, in the -same condition, as we were before the expendi ture was" authorised. It really is time that (his* idleness of the elected of the people should be shaken off, and the individuals who occupy seats at the Council table should set to work for the advantage of the Borough. Their fortnightly meetings arc at present held for merely routine purposes, confirming minutes, passing accounts and deferring the consideration of disagreeable questions as long as their rules will allow them, varied occasionally by a few debating club kind of disputes. If no other inducement will cause the Council to take some steps in the matter we refer to, the burgesses should hold a meeting and call thfir representatives' attention in a forcible manner to the requirements of the Borough.
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Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4431, 17 March 1883, Page 2
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573The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1883. Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4431, 17 March 1883, Page 2
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