THE HOT LAKES CHRONICLE AND Tourists' Journal. WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1896. KING LOGOS KING STORK?

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 187, 1 July 1896, Page 2

THE HOT LAKES CHRONICLE A ND Tourists' Journal. WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1896. KING LOGOS KING STORK?

The Frogs, iEsop tells us, tired of tin; "masterly inactivity " of Xing Log besought Jupiter to send some other variety of monarch. King Stork wnsaccordingly vouchsafed unto them and promptly set to work upon his subjects and gobbled them all up. The morn] to be drawn from this is tiiiit when things are well it is best to leave them severely alone. An a community we have drifted along very placidly iu Kotorun with nothing iu tiio sh po of rates to harass us with the exception of that for water, the p yment of which seems to be more honored in the breuch than in the observance. There are now, however, indications that the peaceful ciilm hitherto enjoyed is about to be disturbed. The other night in the House Mr William Kelly, with one penetrating optic lixed on the requirements of the town, and the other glancing ahead at the coming election, asked the Government if it, is the intention " to alter the constitution of the Town Hoard of lvotorui from a nominated to an elective body, so as to enable the residents of the district to have a voice in the administration of local affairs." To this it was replied that it was considered by the Government " that a change wtis necessary, that the place had outgrown tho present system of administration, and that a Bill would be introduced this session to bring about the necessary changes.'' It has been apparent for some time that the majority of residents would l welcome with satisfaction aehange from the present system of administering local ;. flairs by a Government nominee body, even if tho new regime brought in its train the imposition of rates and taaes. That this desire on tho part of residents has been represented to the Government is very well known, and had Mr John McKenzie's intended visit not been interrurjted through illness it would have, been demonstrated that part, of its purport was to acquire informal ii>n for the drafting of the measure which- it, is- now stated will be introduced. Looking at the matter from ever}- point of view, and with every respect for the gentlemen who form out local board it cannot be denied that the existing condition is far from satisfactory. It practically amounts to our affairs being at the dictation of four Government officials, for should the solitary representative of the people lift his voice in opposition to any departmentally propounded scheme he would iind himself iu a hopeless minority. Such a date of aSui/rs is irksome to- the people and therefore they cry out like the frogs in the fable for a uew ruler even if King Stork should be sent accompanied by hia Grand Vizier—the rate collector.