The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, MAY 20 1879.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 164, 20 May 1879, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, MAY 20 1879.

We believe that the present time is a favorable one for considering the question whether it is not desirable to divide the Borough of Masterton into Wards. Under the 21st section of the Municipal Act, " if not less than one-fourth of the burgesses of a Borough petition the Governor praying him to divide sncli Borough into Wards, the Governor may by proclamation divide such Borough into not less than three nor more thaii six Wards, and shall in such proclamation assign such names and boundaries to each Ward as he thinks fit," The effect of such a division would be thatall existing Councillors would goout of office, and each of the Wards created would return three members to a new Council. We believe that the Council as at present constituted is doing little or no good. One section having made up its mind to cany out public works by means of a responsible Engineer, the other section claiming a right to work without professional assistance. It is time that an appeal were made to the ratepayers, in order that it might be ascertained which section really represents the wishes of the community. This is, to our mind, an indirect but a very strong argument in favor of dividing the Borough, The present Mayor, prior to his election, spoke against the movement. He considered that it would interfere with the harmony of the Council, and tend, to some extent, to retard the progress of the works. Until it could be shewn that the Council failed to take in the requirements of the Borough as a whole, he considered such a change would be prejudicial to the interests of ratepayers. Whether these objections have as much force now in his mind as they had then, we know not, but he could hardly claim harmonious action for the Council as at present constituted, or that satisfactory progress was made with the few works in hand. We almost believe that it could also be shown at the present juncture that the Council fails to take into consideration the requirements of the Borough as a whole. As far as we can see, the Council does not trouble itself over any broad question affecting the general interests of the Borough at all. It will go eagerly into the depth of a drain, the height of a cutting, the composition of gravel, or the construction of a verandah, but larger ideas than these seem beyond its horizon. For these reasons wc are inclined to believe that there is nothing to be lost and everything to be gained by recasting the Council. The best business men available in the Borough are , not now in many instances Councillors. The interests of Masterton require that they should be, and the subdivision of the Borough into Wards would be a ; very convenient way of bringing them ■ in. In the present Council there can be but nine members, exclusive of the Mayor. In a Council with Wards the i number would be from nine to eighteen, as might be preferred or deemed desirable. We do not believe there would be practically any disadvantage in increasing the present number to a mo- ■ derate extent, Some time ago the ■ ratepayers of Ruripuni took up the movement and failed. Were they to again come to the front we feel certain that they would succeed,