The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1886. THE NEW BOROUGH OFFICES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2379, 21 August 1886, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1886. THE NEW BOROUGH OFFICES.

Yesterday the goods and chattels of the Masterton Borough Council were removed-to their pew and more commodious quarteisat the Institute. The change from the somewhat dingy and crampedapat'tment in which the affairs of the Borough have, for so many, years been conducted to a more spacious chamber, is an era in our municipal-history; The old discarded pretaises in which our municipal institutions first saw the light, where old sfettlers like Messrs Renall and Feist have so otten presided, whera younger public men of proved ability like Messrs Duncan McGregor and McCa.rdle have been trained, and where sterling city .■ fathers like Measri Gapper, Perry and Heron have so long worked for the good of the town are deserving of honorable mention, and though they have to give place to a mors pretentious structural they have done good service in the past, and are a part of the little history of the town. Exception has been taken by some to the somewhat costly if not luxurious furniture of the new Council chairs, and estimates hate been made of the amount" of road metal into which these comfortable appointments might have been converted. We do not ourselves object to a little extravagance once in a way in this direotiou. The city fathers give a good deal of time, and devote a considerable amount of intelligence to the service of the community, and the ratepayers owe them a commodious room and. cushioned chairs. With improved surroundings we 'may reasonably expect that . there' will bo' some accession to the honour and dignity of the superior l office of Mayor, and the important position of Councillor, so that when an arru-chuir in the Council Chambers becomes vacant, the beßt men in the town will desire to eecnpy

it, If the new appointments, we will not 'any britg about this result, but contribute towards bringing -it about, they will prove to be a more profitable investment , than: perhaps even the metalling of an additional street, A new chapter in the municipal history of the town is now open, and to the present Mayor we are indebted for the turning over of the new leaf, Under his regime the business of the Corporation has doubled, and this increase of work necessarily brought about changes <yhich we feel sure, have been made in "the best interests of the Borough. We believe that these changes will nut result in that contingency which has been feared by some, viz., an increase ofrates, and thatthefirstprogreaaiveatep towards developing the town by, the introduction of. gas will ,be attended witb the happiest results. Soon further responsibilities in the shape of providing a water supply and other sanitary requirements will have to be faced, and the Borough business will assume still more important, dimensions, Mr Caselberg's successor in the Mayoral chair will have to be prepared with a progressive policy, or he will altogether fail to distinguish himself. Our pre-

sent Mayor has demonstrated that such a policy is a wise and prudent one. He has confidence in the future of the town, and has not hesitated to give practical effect to liis convictions. We heartily congratulate him and his colleagues upon taking possession of their .hew offices/and believing that Masterton, notwithstanding a period of temporary depression,-is ripe for progressive changes, thoroughly approve of the steps which have already been taken to briug them about.