CAMBRIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL ACCOUNTS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3038, 5 January 1892, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL ACCOUNTS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sin, —I have read with much interest the address of Mr Priestly on the abovo subject, as reported in your valuable paper in the issue of the 22nd December, 1891. and after doing so I had the curiosity to ask the Town Clerk, who were the chairmen or Mayor- during those plunging years to which Mr Priestly referred, and particularly from ISS2, when the overdraft was £240, till ISS4, when £700 appears to have been borrowed by a special loan, and the overdraft stood at £731, thus in two years adding £1191 to our burdens. No earnest attempt to reduce our debt seems to have been made till 1889, when Mr Priestly came to the office of Mayor. The amount of overdraft seems to hive fluctuated from £731 in ISB4, Mr Wells' term ; £005 in 1880, Mr Houghton's term ; £603 in 1887, Mr Gwynneth's term; £«70 in 1881, Mr Rally's term, to £701 in 1.589, Mr Cletnent'a term of office. The ratepayers will no doubt be much pleased with the action of the Council dnring the last two years in reducing tho overdraft so greatly, but we are apt in smooth water to lapse into carelessness and to allow any or everybody to entar the Council. 1 am sorry to see that such a great lack of interest in the affairs of the borough. I nm told that there haa been no real contest since ISSG, when Messrs James ITtllv and James Johnson oppospd each oLhw, Mr Hilly only winning by Hvc< votes. I hnpo tho new Vl.iyor (Mr Webber) will follow the grind example sot him by Mr PrifiKlly, and improve the overdraft nut of existence hefore hi* (.;rm of ottico e\in"rc3.— Youm truly, A Ratepayer. C.imbriiisre, 29r.h Dec, 181)1.