THE Thames Advertiser. THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 1874.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1921, 17 December 1874, Page 2

THE Thames Advertiser. THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 1874.

The first annual meeting of the Thames Borough Oouucil yesterday was a model of order, harmony, and brevity. The accounts submitted elicited no discussion although the items were, to say the least, somewhat startling, and the election of Mayor appeared to be a foregone conclusion. There was a pretty general expectation of a contest, and a keen one, Coucillors Kowe and Brown wore spoken of as candidates .for the office,'but they appear to have decided not to contest the position with Councillor. Da vies. Accordingly the latter waa duly proposed, seconded, elected, and expressed his gratification for the honour conferred, &c. It did seem somewhat singular that his proposer and seconder should have thought it necessary to deprecate the thought that any person should look upon the Mayor's chair' as private property, or the office as a sinecure, but sucb, however, was the mode in which they introduced the retiring Mayor for reelection, aud no doubt under the circumstances it was as good as any other. The election of Mayor was no doubt, in the estimation of the Councillors, the principal business of yesterday's meeting. It. was certainly important. The office of Mayor is one full of responsibility in boroughs which have been loug established, but it is much more so in one such as the Thames, where there aro no endowments, everything to do, and nothing doue, aud li.ttlo money to do anything with. A good many are of opinion that the establishment of a municipality at tho Thames was premature. It cut away the aid which was received by the Highway Board from the Provincial and General Governments, and there was nothing to replaco it—no endowments, and consequently very limited borrowing powers. But it was held forth as an inducement to those who petitioned for a corporation that the working of a municipality would be cheaper than the working of three Highway Boards', and that a municipality would be a central power which could be brought to bear upon the Governments, Provincial and General. Experience has taught that it is very difficult to get money from any source. There are no endowments, debts have accumulated in the, carrying. out, of, the, raps fc

necessary work?, and uow the Council, at the commencement of a new term, finds itself heavily iu debt, besides being involved iu lawsuits with powerful mining corporations,, who dispute the rates for which they have been assessed. The prospects of the municipality for the ensuing year are certainly not brilliant. The rates for the year, if collected in full, will only amount to £2,796 2s. From this a considerable reduction will liavo to be made for bad debts, rates the payment of which cannot be enforced, and costs of the litigation upon which the Council has uow entered. Old rates accruing to the Highway Boards which now form the municipality, are now set down at £906 3s 10d." How much of this sum can be collected now 1 Amongst the receipts far and away the largest item is an overdraft of £4,589 2s 3d from the Bank of New Zealand, and the expenditure already amounts to £7,442 15s 9d. The assets, including £2,495 2s general rates, and £2,250 a Provincial Government vote, together with* all the property of the borough, amount to £6,291 6s sd, and the liabilities, including present overdraft, contracts, &c, to £5,587 6s 3d. During the ensuing year the Council has to look steadily in the face the fact that they must economise as much as possible. It is quite evident now to the most enthusiastic supporter of municipal institutions that they cannot be supported at as little cost as highway districts. Endowments must be obtained, or the city will soon feel the want of the Government grants in aid of their Road Boards, and the duty of the Council is to obtain those to which they are entitled as speedily as possible. We confess that at present we see no clear way for the Council out of its difficulty. One thing is certain, auother source of revenue than taxation must be obtained, or the muueipality will not be able to fulfil its functions.