MUNICIPAL REFORM

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 8 January 1927, Page 8

MUNICIPAL REFORM

THREE MEN UNDER 30 GOVERN A CITY. CLEANER AND BETTER DUBLIN. DUBLIN, Oct. 22. Dublin is delighted with the success of its three young business Commissioners who have replaced the old ineffective corporation in the government of the city. In Mr. James Murphy, Dr. William O’Dwyer, and Air. W. Hernon, all men under SO. Dublin ha« found its municipal salvation, and the citizens point with pride to the new-found cleanliness of their city, once notorious for dirt and disease. One of Mr. Cosgrave’s first administrative acts when he became President was to abolish the corporation with all its pomps, complications, and embroideries, and to hand its powers over to three Commissioners —all young men without previous municipal experience. The experience which they lacked was provided by municipal officials, whose efforts had' been thwarted by the circumlocution and the political diversions of the old regime. The permanent staff, headed by a ..town clerk of great experience and personal force, promptly adjusted themselves to the new conditions, and a. remarkable energy and zeal was soon to be observed in the operations of Dublin’s eros-sing-sweepers. Housing and other important schemes, which had been bandied about for several years betvveen corporation committees, quickly began to take definite shape, with the result that within the last three years a suburban colony of 1200 houses has been almost completed. A new wide circular road, built on the most- modern lines, is p'ushing its way rapidly across the north side of the city; stone setts have been removed from miles of city streets and substituted by modern asphalt surfaces. The cost of' electricity has been reduced by 25 per cent. It is estimated that the improvements already carried out have involved an expenditure of about £1,500,000. But here is a. real miracle; .municipal rates, in spite of costly improvements, have been reduced from 21s to 16s in the £. A joint Commission of the Dail and Senate was set up to make recommendations as to the unified government of “Greater Dublin.” Its report is about to be published, and will, it is understood, recommend a sweeping extension of the city boundaries and a modified form of “Commissioner” control over areas now administered bv ten or twelve adjoining urban councils.