THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Evening Post, Volume LX, Issue 65, 14 September 1900, Page 4

THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

In the result the municipal elections for the city have proved satisfactory, but it is distinctly disappointing to find that notwithstanding the now admitted importance of local government nearly three-fourths of the burgesses' of the city were so indifferent to their civic duty that they did not tak& the trouble to record their votes. So long as such reprehensible apathy exists, Wellington city must remain behind in the march of municipal progress unless it should fortunateily happen that her Councillors prove to be men so informed with sense of puMic duty as to be willing to serve their city tc the best of then ability withthe consciousness that a great majority of the burgesses are quite indifferent as to whether the place in which they live is cursed with sdumdom and monopoly or is made a sanatorium in regard to public health, and a progressive modern city in respect of municipa'lisation of all its public services. However, there is some compensation today in the reflection that if only a small minority yesterday exercised their right to vote, their choice was wisely made. Mr. Tolhurst had fairly won the right to claim a renewal of the confidence of the ratepayers of Thorndon, and they responded to his appeal by a strong majority. Te Aro, for some years served at the Council board most industriously and conscientiously by Mr. Barber, showed its appreciation with striking emphasis, while in Cook Ward the candidate who undoubtedly had the largest claim to public consideration had a two to one majority ovei his strongest opponent. Tho remarkable feature of the election was tho preponderance of candidates di-

rectly interested in the building trade, and, rightly or wrongly, it was widely felt that these gentlemen would not liavo been adverse to some relaxation of the existing building bylaws. For our part, we have no feeling of regret for their signal defeat of yesterday. We do not want to witness any further overcrowding of the 'limited city and near suburban areas with bandbox houses set up on pockethandkerchief allotments. Theso make for slums, jerry-built houses, and insanitary conditions, and they can only bo held in check by the bylaws, that should be drawn tighter rather than relaxed. The public health should be considered before the claims of property in this large matter, and we think that the gentlemen chosen for municipal office are more likely to realise this essential than any like number among the rejected candidates. Let the suburbs' be made easily, quickly, and cheaply accessible by effective . modern tram services, then will follow healthy ftnd pleasant homes for the workers, with ' plenty of air and ground space, and the valuable sites within the city now occupied by cramped and cabined houses at rentals ouit of all J proportion to the accommodation they afford will be turned to more profitable and better account by the erection of residences' more in accord with ground values. Let our readers consider how the face of the city would be changed had we an electric tram ssrvice similar to that of Brisbane described in another column of this issue.