The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1880.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 598, 19 October 1880, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1880.

We shall shortly in Masterton bow out our present worthy Mayor, and usher in his successor, it is pretty well understood who the new Mayor is to be, but though we endorse the popular choice we should like to see a contest, as we would then have a putty good idea who wo liavo to fall back upon as an emergency man or for the ensuing year. In connection with tho coining election there will probably be at least one public meeting, and it is to that we desire specially to refer on this occasion, There is but one question of any great importance which could be brought before the burgesses at the present time, and we would very much like to see that particular one argued out on a public platform fully and fairly, Tho question we allude to is the expediency of raising a loan for the completion of necessary public works in the borough. This }s a question on which a great deal may be said on either side, and it is about time that it was again taker) up. Money is getting cheaper now, and it would probably be easy to float a loan for a moderate amount on favorable terms. Again, the withdrawal of subsidies takes away a source of revenue, and demands the opening up of some new channel. Labor, too, is very cheap at the present time, and borrowed motiay cqmld probably be more profitably expended now than it could in three or four years hence. The'opening of the railway to Masterton reveals many chisuis which require filling up in our highways, and many rough places which ought to be made smooth, An effort,, is now being made to make Masterton as presentable as possible for the Ist of November, but without borrowed money a good many eyesores in various parts of tho town must remain in "statu quo." On the other hand it must be admitted that bad times have taken much of the enterprise and "go" out of the burgesses, pd that the feeling of confidence in the elasticity of the resources of Mastertpn is }ess now than it was formerly. It >yoi|lcl be a tfisk of difficulty now to iijduce the settlers to go in for borrowing, but that is not exactly the question we would wish to see raised in tho first instance. The vital point to determine is not whether people are anxious for a loan or reluctant to undertake one, but whether this is the best time, in the interests of Masfcefton, to take up one. Those members of % Council who have taken part in administering public works must know that many roads will have to be made in Masterton out of borrpjyed lnonpy, Should' tlie money be borrowed' now, or in three years' time, or five years' time is the point that should b,e .decided. Tjjere iaay be soiije who would say " Don't borrow at all, now or at any future time/' but we tliijik that they will be in the ferity. Sorrowed money, if wisely spent, is genenally repvqducoiye, and we should be soriy to s $ Ms.sfev : ton losing the position ii; already oocupies ft|}]oi)g tlje inland to\yus of the colony because ifc wfl/f too tiq)ic| to use a common and legitimate meps of extending itself, its resources, and its influence.