THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 1867.

Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 180, 7 March 1867, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 1867.

The question of a Municipality is not* lively now to" be allowed J to rest until finally disposed of one way or the other, And it^uld'^OT^ inucli to be deplored if, on such Vf^ iiiblic maf.tei* of such great ihiportance, J its discussion should have .no definite, result. At present "the subject is iiv l an unsatisfactory position" ; indeed -Vi' singularly «%nohialous one for a ; public^ Question. We wjll just review what 'lias been done. Several - ; months '-■ ago. ; the necessity : of •■■ having sonre legally constituted 'body to' loofi; Htfter the affairs ' of *the' town- es])ecially with regard to sanitary niatfcere, was sp generally recognised, that a peti-, tion was adopted, praying the Superin--? teiident to proclaim M>he to\yii a Municipality under the Municipal Councils Ordrnatfc^; ?v \'That" vpetJti6n'''"was:-signed-by : a majority of ; the 'residents 3 and iuhabita^its in both poi'tions of the town, and Torwaride'd* 1 f^r" ' |ffesentalion. It was subseqiien^ly believed . tliat the memorial should "only have beeri'signej by. the residents ;of the Government township ■;/ and, accordingly, .frpsh signatures were obtained" aiictr a se'cbnd memorial sent. No pi-actical result followed* these -membnals',' and the iiin- ' provement Committee con tin uedofco'exist; but without au"y poVer' to deal: witli the, many matters lirgciitly 9illing'fpr r atten^ tibnh 'The uj)satisfac^ory?'stivius of the IQprimiitfcee wasso apparent that at'tKd jiublic jiieeting.fpr the election of a udw Comnuttec, a resolution was passed, "plodging the new GVjminittee to use

fcvei'%- exertion tol obtain Municipiivl |K>wei'B for the town, 'lhen">to Up to tl^is moment thevejaad the slightest "ai^i 'of any pvpß]ic oppoiiitiou on the question, The meek iug was almost unanimous, and there I was a general hope that the Committee would'soon be replaced by a properly constituted Municipal Council, But here Mr "Whall, the representative of the- town -in -the -PrQYincjal Council, comes forward and gives hjs l'easops for opposing a M" nicipaiity— which may be siunmed up into two-^thafc the cost of the public works already sanctioned by,.the Council would be thrown on "the ratepayers; and tlv^.t the rates would be ruinous to thp residents, Of cpurse. such reasons coming from such a qn(uy ter speedily begot a strong opposition to the proposed Municipality, one sympv ton uf which was the /election; as j members of the linirovement Oommitteej' of Messrs Whall x aiid Fishevr^each p]^posed to the very measure w,hich the;; Comnuttee, collectively, wa^ pledged to csiriy out ! Mr WhaU's .opinions so credulously received, that la large nuqiber of the inhabitants' were induced to sign a memorial to tftc Committee, asainst the very -thing the Committee had been pledged to do, and. in favor of which two public memorials had previously been sent to tho'.Superintendent ! The ComHutteei'efu^Vtq i-ecalve this memorial, aud, although a' public -meeting . was asked .to censure the Committee for so doing it wbiiUl not do more than blame the " mode " in which the Committee had treated the memorial— not the rejectiou of its prayer. Up to this; j joint;" the Com. uiittee have clearly been supported by tlift publir, : and we' believe' tljj^t if the iriisconce[)tiouh .'H' ; 'cl, r fnusu t nd^taiKluig8 t which exist regarding the probable eflects of Municipal powei's, were removed, the Commibtee would liaye the full support of the inhabitants' iin. their ; efforts tQ Qbtiun them. We assert a,ga^u, 5 that Mr Wltall's fears are groundless, and we have on several, points proved that they are so. We assert again that the existence <jf \i Municjpalitv is far more likely to ! Assist 'the town than +.o prejudice.it ,in rospect of grants from the Government; aud- vc repeat that it is impossible' for the 1 rates- to exceedv" for general purposes, oneshillingin the pound, r\Yo, assert r'.^sp that ithe.Municipal Councils JOrdinance,contaius- proyisionsi whichplainly show- that 'the ])rovincial i Legislatm-ecbnjtem plated granting sums of mQiipj ■ !to "Mimiciimlities , fpi-yaed under the Ordinance. Mr Whall says mouey grauts have been; given to Miiiiicipalities; except in their functiqnrfas Rbad Boards,' for th;e nvuiitainance. of i main /roads. We again refer Mr Whall to the printed records of the Council for a,coinplet'e correctio.n of his statement. But 'juv-.'Vr^sent purpose y* not to argue' with; Mr Whall;; £ ;but;. to place the/Municipal question plainly before /tiie;:pshjic,' ;^iid ;we; iii'u|t- ;.ask ! what idea, will , the., reading ;of, : the iiistory of this matter give the Su peri u-;. teudent'jregi\ivling t)ie ;^.intelligence of this commuuity ? i, Mr «;^ha|l tells us tihat his chief^ reason, for. .opposing a Municipality is his belief that more money- cau be got from.the : .Cl-u:.icil for street .••imp.rpyements if r iio "Municipal CQuncil exists.; ; y'^e.deny-'. i t.hji^,yh / d's ; aty. tliat it is far more probable the Provincial Council will help those who show they are willing to help theinselyesthau; vote money for a town whose inhabitants refuse to tiike'upbh'th'em^elvUs'the: obvious duty of Ibbking after their ownaffaii^., : ;^e .^am the ppponeuts of a Municipality that they are^ommitr, ting a grave ltjisfeike in that the huno.rable ifullilinent o,f .the obligations of "citizenshi|^will; have ; a prejudicial effect p t u the claims of the community ; oil the cpnsi^eration : ,p£ , the ; Go.vcrnmeiit and Legislature.