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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3092, 26 May 1881, Page 2

We have already expressed an opinion that the appointment of a receiver of rates by the Borough Council would, in the present condition of their finances, be a piece of extravagance which would not surprise us, but which should be promptly resented by the ratepayers. These councillors will wrangle for an hour over the expenditure of a few pounds, and flatter themselves that they are impressing the ratepayers with a sense of the stern unflinching economy which actuates their representatives; they have a capacity for almost unlimited talk over some trivial expenditure, such as the cost of putting up the swamp sections for sale, or as to whether the salary of the receiver should be £140 or £156 per annum. The sums involved in such matters are clearly within their comprehension, but in grasping any general econo-nic scheme for the management of borough affairs they have hitherto shown an utter incapacity. This should not surprise any one who will consider the materials o< which the present Council is composed. It would just be as reasonable to take the head of any large commercial firm straight from his counting house, make him Chancellor of the Exchequer, and expect him to deal successfully with the finances of a nation, as to appoint a number of men used only to petty barter and expect them to deal in a wise and economic spirit with the finances of a borough. If there are little monetary difficulties troubling the borough each assumes to be a financier of unlimited resources, and propounds schemes the acceptance of which is the only way to avert bankruptcy. If a drainage or water supply scheme _ is mooted each is at once an engineer, with the only possible scheme at his finger ends, md, moreover, generally knows the only man who could possibly carry it out successfully. > The patronage and importance attaching to the office of Borough Councillor too frequently inflate the possessor, aud give his ideas a wonderful breadth in dealing with larger suma than he has been accustomed to, and to which he has contributed comparatively little, and, in fact, he fully

a very old and well known adage. If the Council are re»uivcu upon peipctrotins thio piece of escravagauee Jit is perhaps too much to ask each councillor to give up the importance I attaching to a ninth share in the appointment, and relegate it to some one who has some practical knowledge of the work to be done, and of the kind of man required to do it. The Council has surely sufficient confidence in their Town Clerk to intrust him with the appointment of such an officer. A long residence in the town, and an intimate knowledge of the duties required, would surely point to him as the proper person to make such an appointment, and yet we feel assured that he is just about the last man the csuncillors would think of consulting upon the matter. It is known that there will be a large number of candidates for the privilege of being criticised and badgered by nine masters who know nothing of the duties to be performed, and several of whom have expressed an opinion that a thoroughly trustworthy man can be got for a much smaller sum than the one offered, and for the munificent sum of £150 per annum. It is alao well known that a number of the councillors are already pledged to vote for particular friends or proteges, and the probabilities are that on Monday evening next the committee will meet each member with his mind fixed upon a different candidate, and it is probable that the shortest and altogetber most satisfactory way would be to bring into requisition a little game of which perhaps some of the councillors may have some vague knowledge, attained in a round about way, and throw " Yankee grab " for the choice. In default of the dice if tbe Council will insist upon having a finger in the pie, why not delegate the Mayor, who knows something of the requirements of the office, to assist the Town Clerk in making the selection ?