The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, JANURY 27, 1882.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 984, 27 January 1882, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, JANURY 27, 1882.

y . 1 One of the several correspondents wh<j have" recently expressed their " views through our columns on the subject of. the Masterton Institute asked tKe very pertinent question" is ..its debt im-: movable." In the answer to ' this: query lies the solution of the difficulties which prevent this institution''from :fully; satisfying the requirements of, those persons who take an interest inits welfare. The institute lias mtny friends and mtrons in ;lu Img 1 the Borough Council-' which is virtually its proprietor, . the managing Committee' which, according, to-nwither correspondent. mpets to'register: its overdrnft, the Town Lands Trustee who. subsidize it, the -..discontented and' contented subscribers,: and last, but not .least, certain residents who have; made themselves'. personally liable for the debt. It is . evident that if the Institute is legally municipal property, the. omission which has been made by in not taking over, the liabilities' TO well as the assets should-he* porreoted.' It is quite apparent that the four hundred pounds which constitute the'debt should not be the private, liability of some four or five individuals wljp. may. if they choose point proudly . to ithV building, and-say '* that struoture belongs to us." We'once knew a : lftßral 'toinded into 'debt.! He . fc v v. y'O'

Christian for this reason, hut it was not't, exactly nice for the vestry when he ■spoke of the sacred edifice as his private proparfcy.. It would not be fair either to saddle the managing committee \Witl) the, encumbrance unless the lands 'and buildings'-. were also ted in it. Wo doubt whe'lier even th(; dißcoillenbd"sub'scribers who desire the control. bf :the institution would acif tlipy,were expected to take ■ with itrtlie debt, -In our opinion, the ■ Borough Council'are legally and mor- .. ■ nJJ'-.'li»lile r for tliii debt, arid that the [ii'io lifts arrived wlmn it should assume, its Vesji<<Ußil)ijity. .The burthen-is now' ■ oii'the wroi)«<!honlders,and the first .thing to bo done.is to shift it on to the right ones. Relieved froinits pressure.' ;the' Institute would undoubtedly soar •upwards. A .quest jQn may arise as to ;W.l]fith<3r;tbe bac.lt of theßorough Council is broad enough to ■ bear the ad- -. ditlonnl obligation, but this might bff • settled when it was decided whether • it'oiiight to assume the liability, iffa . ajso to oilr liiirid a matter 6f sptfoiiaary . .importance, whether the Institute be. raanae;ed'byT ; !the;-'Borough Council'fy • • - its or by; a mixed :• .would c<fo»bine ~thet the nomihativevand 'elective' "demerit? '■ Pr6bably the latter woulcl be the- best 1 • kind of committee to meet the peculiar; Circumstance by winch the institution- . is .surrounded, A mixed .committee consisting first of nominees of the Borough Council, secfffidly a nominee of Lands Trust, and thirdly • a number of members elected ' from the • general body of subscribers;- ought to satisfy - all., '.parties interested in the ; matter. Any arrangement of •thia character is however preinature till the .debt" difficulty is arranged. • The overdraft harasses and .obstructs the '.present management, and.it .will embarrass any other management-that! i: might supersede it, The first point therefore to be determined is, ought tlie Borough Council to take over, the, | debt, and if that is settled in the affirmative the consideration of ways and means.'whereby the Council may fulfil its obligation, can then be dis--cussed. • ■'..