Evening Post. THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1911. THE MUNICIPAL OUTLOOK.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 104, 4 May 1911, Page 6

Evening Post. THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1911. THE MUNICIPAL OUTLOOK.

+ No great question of policy was brought up at yesterday's installation x>i Mr. Wilford for a second term' as Mayor of Greater Wellington. Mr. Wilford gently assured his well-wishers that the city wae the cleanest and sweetest (from the sanitation, viewpoint) on this or the other side of the Tasman Sea, and he indicated that the capital would continue to set a good example in this respect. He rightly gave a reminder that Wellington was a sound city, and quoted evidence in support. The corporation, he said, was able to meet interest and sinking fund charges from general revenue, and to carry on various works for the public good without either raising the rates or borrowing. ,TheHon. J. Carroll should make a memorandum of that remark, and mußter up enough hardihood to deposit ib, respect- . fully, opt the Prime Minister's desk when ho returns. The city ie going ahead cautiously within its income for all things which can be legitimately charged against Tevenue, and this is something for gratitude at a time when the Ballance doctrine of " eelf-reliance " is merely a mumbled phrase. We hope that Mr. Wilford's plea for prudence yesterday will restrain Councillor Cameron from pressing for Ihe publio golf-links which he advocated prior to the election. Even if this councillor deduces from his election that the burgesses have ■" planked " for a public golf-links, it is hoped that he will listen to reason as spoken by th» city'« administrators. The dog-tax is not to be touched, and the waterside bunks are to remain for a time in their defeated. friend*6 mind. It is plain that the city cannot afford to own- look ab some of tho curious proposals flourished prior j&r&e 26th pi laat mouth. Some oj t

these proposals served' their electioneering turn, and others did not. A Special Committee ha* the taak of grappling with an old friend— municipal markets. Will it bo jurt the same old friendly wrestle, to ©-ad in a ■" draw," honours easy? The council has not seriously studied this market problem, in all its aspects* Perhaps the Citizens' League, of large promise, can help. We rather suspect that the league will be ranked against municipal markets, but even definite, specific opposition can do good by inciting definite, specific action by friends of the echeme. A good, hearty controversy, on business lines, well rid of cant phrases, would certainly be welcome. In addition to finding either a market policy or a satisfac■tory reason for not having one, the City is required to immediately give some thought to the tramway 6. The electors did not give any special instruction about tramways; possibly many electors suspected, after shrewd thought, that "reform" might mean' a shortening of the concession string. The position now is that the tramway management has to hold an inquest on itself, and report a verdict soon. The electric light enterprise will also need some intelligent watching. Rational preparations for town-planning have been deplorably ignored, and there is probably an inclination among councillors to-day to adopt the ostrich attitude. The Post will do its best to make such _an' attitude distinctly uncomfortable.