The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1881.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 935, 26 November 1881, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1881.

Wb will novr, as we iniimnted in our last issue, consider the views expressed by tho Mayoral candidates:. Mr Bisn took for his first topic a Borough loan, hut his remarks wore principally directed to the one authorised four years ngn. It i 8 vatheilate in the day to consider the expediency of the proposals then mooted, and his criticisms upon them hardly assist in arriving at a just conclusion us tu the requirements of the present time. The question of dividing the Borough into Wards is, by law, in the hands of a minority, and is unlikely to be controlled by any expression of public opinion. It is a change that half-a-dozen discontented ratepayers may bring about at any lime, and if a keener interest were taken in Borough administration it would be very quickly accomplished,. In lookiii" forward to the Forty-Mile Bush reserve as a source of income within a few years, Mr Bish is sanpino. No douht in ten or fourteen years' time it will produce an income, but scarcely before that time. His remarks on water supply and drainage were not of a very definite character, and we scarcely «aiher from them whether, in his opinion, .Maaterton is ripe for the one orthablher. Wo concur in Wb opinion

on the. Borougli Sn K iiiaer question, but to-, differ from him in his reference to fighting tho Gnmty. There has never been the sli(jhtoit occasion for quarrelling with the County, and we regret that the public men of Masterton cannot see that « policy of conciliation with neighboring local bodies is tho one which is beneficialto the interests of tlio town, and that the protection of the Borough interests and tho maintenance of the Borough dignity is Quite consistent with suoh a line of conduct. Wo were surprised to find Mr Bish recommending the centralisation Of the Park aud Cemetery Trusts, the Town Lands Trust, (ho Hospital, and possibly, the Cricket Club, Rechabite Tent, and I Caledonian Society, iu tho Borougti'Counoil. Take the Hospital for example. Did Mr Bisii, in making such a strange suggestion, for a moment think how the Borough would find tho £SOO por annum necessary to maintain that institution. Would ho strike a Hospital rate 1 Mr Bish has scarcely thought out this question. In speaking on the question of gas, Mr Bish advocated it being undertaken by a private Company, when the time came for iis necessity. The real question, to our miiid, is whether the time has now arrived for it! Mr Oasemerg, iu the expression of his views, was a little, but not much more explicit. He advocated a fixed subsidy of a pound por pound on subscriptions to the Fire Brigade. He recommended that the Council should have a discretionary power for street widening. He dwelt on tho importance of encouraging local industries, and we would undoratand that he would consider it his duty m Mayor, if elected, to foster such enterprises. Mr Casemeiw is evidently awaro of tho conditions which are essential to tho prosperity of the town, «nd though in his his speech he failed, like Mr Bish, to place very definite views before his audience, we hope to see him, if elected, act better than he talks. There is no reason that we can see why the quest i..n of a gas supply for tho town should not be at unco taken in hand. Mr Oasblbeiig 13 quito capable of carrying a movement of this kind through, and, in our opinion, the time liiib arrived ."or initialing it. We are content for water and drainage schemes to stand over for a time, till they can be dealt with iu a comprehensive manner. In the interim, a small occasional expenditure on creeks and watercourses, and rigid supervision of nuisances, will keep the town in a fairly healthy condition. The truu policy should bo to look ahead and define as far as possible what the future requirements of the Borough, in the matter of streets, drains, gas, and wator supply, are likely to be, and execute all minor works, which from time to lime may bo.undertaken, in such a way that they will answer future needs as well as present requirements. At one time Musterton had a reputation as being one of the most go-a-head towns in

New Zealand, and it more than doserved it. Its period »f activity has been followed by a period of slumber; which has now lasted sufficiently long. On all Bides indications of private enterprise are apparent, and we consider that the leading public men of the town might bow wake up and take at ieast utio step in advance. That step is undoubtedly to supply the town with gas.