VARIOUS MUNICIPAL MATTERS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9076, 28 April 1908, Page 5

VARIOUS MUNICIPAL MATTERS.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—ln the Mayor's speech, jnsreferring to the Gasworks, he (intimated tthat .there was a gross profit of .£3,00.0 for the year, and that, after .allowance for paying interest, sinking .fund, and the depreciation of .machinery, there would be a.nett ;/3um,of ,£2,000 available, which he ipointedout might be dealt within ■three \ways—construction of jroads, >to ,pay, off the overdraft, or to .erect .municipal buildings at a >cost of J£I.OfU.QO, the Gasworks to take the burden .of the loan. The two first .projects may find favour with the iratqpayers, but when it comes to an .expenditure of £IO,OOO to erect a ,palat.ial edifice to accommodate (ocasionally) nine councillors and a few officials—well, the burgesses may indeed pause, if not stand aghast, .and exclaim extravagance.! for ceriaiinly the proposal /savours of that, jparticularly when other loans are .in contemplation, and eo much tvextessary and urgent work id required lin improvements of the thoroughfares of the town. In all the discussion that has taken place of late, an things municipal, some projects of importance tn the town have been feat sight of. Would not the improvement of that reproach the northern approach to Masterton —be something "tangible and an object lesson of municipal undertaking?" Then, again, there is the acquisition by the Borough of the old Showground for public purposes, this latter having the support of the Press and a Jarge section uf the people. If one, er both, of these undertakings were carired out, they j would be highly beneficial and a source of satisfaction to the community at large. The condtion of the northern approach—the only one leading into the centre of the Boroughis a standing disgrace, as well as a menace to life and limb to those whom business or pleasure leads to travel along its narrow way. The recent runaway of the Homewood coach, and the lamentable loss of life attending it, gives point to the very urgent need for the improvement of the approach. At the time of the runaway, had there been a congestion of traffic by motor cars, and other conveyances- on ..this narrow roadway, a most serious catastrophe might have eventuated. When some fatality occurs, the local authorities may recognise their responsibility. ■ A huge pile of municipal buildings would, no doubt, be a capital thing for the. building trade, which may be getting slack, now that "boom times" are on the wane, and also a grand monument to the honour and glory of he who sat in the Mayoral -chair during the erec tion thereof. But if ratepayers are wise they will cry halt at such a money-swallowing undertaking, and bide-a-wee. It is some satisfaction to see that Mr John Hunter, though favouring the idea of building, is much more modest than the Mayor in his views, and places the figure at £6,000. The Trust Lands Trust contemplates erecting offices. If there is really a dire 'necessity for better accommodation for the Borough Council and its clerical staff, is there any just cause or impediment why the two bodies should not join together and transact their business under one roof, each bearing a fair share of the cost of construction. If the Borough Council suffer from a plethora of cash a few extra lamps from the railway station down Pine Street would not be amiss, and would impress travellers that they were coming to a progressive town governed by wise councillors. The northern approach would also stand more light.—l am, etc., UTILITY.