THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4 1900.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 80, 4 December 1900, Page 2

THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4 1900.

As .a .correspondent remarks, in our open column, the Library meetings *have become quite important furictionsiately. "Time was when they- shared in the, general apathy of^tkings municipal, but the whole construction has lately been galvanised into life. At- the first meeting of Library subscribers only fifteen, were present, put of a-list of over' 100.' ■ Of these'fifteen, eight-voted with the "''Ojbfltructionisf " #arty and seven. against, and thus ajLl business was hindered. It seems a wonderful thing to,thos£ not' very well acquainted -with what lies below the surface, that this scheme could jaot obtain even' eonsiQera:! ion. J ITet that was all the Mayor aßked-r-thafc, ,a com- v mittee of the Libracy'jbe set up to enquire into the practicability of the scheme a'ar^gard&the Library. 60 far'they were to.concern themselves and no further. But eventhis moderate request wodld net be granted. Irrelevant subjects were brought up and and the scheme was denounced as impracticable by its opponents, without having been 'Considered at all, except^as a rough sketch. It never occurred to these " cold water pourers " and their blind followers that it was necessary to consider the question. They met. it in the spirit in which'the introduction of railways and weaving machines was received : "We are.-eureit will fail,; down with reform." This spirit might have' been all very well a ago but it is now long out of date. We have realised that the race is 4 to the swff t, fhe haTe anQ tortoise story notwithstanding. Were this race to be. run over again, the hare would wipe out the stain on its- escutcheon, and the .laggards of the world wonld not be able >to hold up ih& slower animal as an example of successful persever-, ance. However, the tortoise party was not the most wide awake on Friday night, to which time themeeting had been adjourned, and I the result was- that instead of 1 having the land sold offhand and the 'Library's only asset,converted, intaa smaller amonnfco"f cash; than will be 'the case if the sale is not hurried, a motion to have the^ scheme ithorou^fily considerepf was carried by -a good majority. So far-co good. The Obstructionist party -was naturally indignanti and -made .several sneering remarks about the size of .tlje meeting, and also concern- 1

ing thefaot that several country members were present. ' These remarks were iii exceedingly Joad taste, for the country subscribers have the interests of the .institution at heart as much as those - belonging to the town, and are perhaps less liable to local bias. As .we see it, .the scheme asaffedt-j-ag -the Library is that they guarantee to take, at a. fair yearly rental, buildings which will >b> .built. to .suit .their • require niouu?, subject to certain limitations of jcthe total u;ost -.of *the .■structnrfc. Whut could be more simple., and ,yet what a war of words it stirs aip. liat it will* be decided soon,, aud let us hope all the subscribers will attend the meeting and .prevent their .interests 'beiug dominated by a small fraction of their. number.

/ Jhe*efforts of .Messrs Goltman . and Co., the Opposition Party ia , .the Borough Council, who have , determined" to obstruct the ;„ business, need more than usual ■ f attention just now. They are the ' inca who always give.themeelvee ithe credit of being excellent spenders olthe ratepivyers'.money rf and -€o frequently have they •referred to themselves .in ( thatt respnct that it has become a standing Joke -in t-he.coannunity., whea their actions are closely compared with their .professions, jit is a very nice phrase, that about • the' -ratepayers' 1 money, calculated to delude unwary peqple who take .tue word tor the <deed aria unthinkingly accept an y_,plausible -tale which seems to be to their 'monetary interest.. lt ie,^f course, supposed that.if theObstruction♦istPa'rty are such savers of public money, the other sidq must needlessly waste iU Fortunately,, indeed, for the -reasonable inem,hera-of the Council, who are -anxious «to peaceably carry on the business of the Borough, such insinuations, .when examined, are •iound to be as false ,"as ii. .ir supporters could possibly wirh thenvto be. What are the facts as-pegards the accusation against the Mayor/thathe waated Kelcy's Bush purchased f Simply this, he-, was asked by the owners of ihe^prqperty *fco tell the Council that it was going to change, han'da and if the Borough wishedia small piece for a -reserve, now would be tire time to acquire it. This was reported to the Councils simply a statement of factg, aud yet- in the recent election capital waa made out of the statement that certain persons wanted T to ruin the borough *Jby going- in fcr a large reserve in Kelcy*s Bsm v, many people being^foolish enough, to believe the preposterous t'ala. When the absurdity ib exposed, it will not redound to the credit of those who -set it .going- If elections cannot bo contested without one side setting 1 .afloat garbled fltafcemerrts about their opponents, an- investigation should be held, and those who resorted to dishonourable methods should be relieved from public duties for a vfew yewfl. 4g a * n > it vuxb asserted that the Mayor desired to make .{Shearman StreeUreasonably passableby levelling 4he heights in it. The inference drawn by the Opposition Parbvdfl that if the Mayor lives in a street it is not competentvfor aay improvements to be made in that street while he resides there. T© this depth of paltry pettishnesa has municipal affairs been draggeddown in this Borough. Now for the facts : Jt was proposed 'to invite forilevelKng Shearman Street r and the Mayor protested against it, nntil the Finance Committee met and decided that the finances woojd the strain of 'completing 'the The other members, -even "those wTzoareso anxious to save the ratepayers' money, jwonldrilt agreefCooncillfir Goltman differing entirely with •the Mayor. They had their way, and -the , expense *of calling for tenders was duly incurred. Then, when the .whole matter was left in the Hands of the Mayor and the ' Councillors- who had the ordinary common ienee to remain in their seats, while (he others left in a state-of nilly pique, it was^unantmously decided not to accept any of the tenders. In , the -face these facts, .which cannot bo

fcontradicted, stories are set going the loyal councillors are abont to rain the Bowmgb. We have every reason to &eKeve that the burgesdes arrrapidiy Wakening to the fact that they have been •galled.