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Hokitika Guardian, 24 April 1923, Page 2

To-morrow being a. press holiday, in common with the general observance of Anzac Day, this will ho the final opportunity in Ibis column of role: ring to municipal matters before the electors go to the poll 011 Thursday. Tonight the electors are to be addressed liv tlie candidates, so there will be tin 1 opportunity of learning first hand what is in their minds as regards the municipal progress of Hokitika. We take it that that "ill be the principal topic for discussion, for the town is at that stage when it can neither stand still nor go hack—it must move forward. Wliat "ill the gentlemen constituting the new Council <1 > to help Hokitika forward 'i The oppoitu-

nity is a t ipeniug one, and if courage and enterpi ise be shown the Council may do a great ileal to secure that degree of advancement which should spell prosperity for the town. It appears to us that matters are so fal-

ling out that to neglect to improve the town, and make it mire worthy of the destiny just ahead of it, is to ignore a golden opportunity. It will be for the electors after gleaning the views of the candidates to east their votes in the direction whore the most responsible bonefitting action to Hokitika will result. The Council will be the selection of local opinion expressed through the ballot box, and the full responsibility of the choice is thus thrown on the electors.

We should hope to see a well-defined Borough policy entered upon. The Cotincill will not have to make bricks without straw. The Council have at its disposal loan moneys which will permit of a sot of works being undertaken which should relieve very largely the ordinary income ol the Council, freeing that revenue either tor re-

duetion in rates or for wider attention to the pressing needs of the town. It is impossible to walk abroad in trie streets without- realising that there is much to be done in general repairs. So little Ims been done, and there is so much to do. that the New Council will perhaps have a difficulty in determining where a commencement should he made. The works policy of the Council requires to be carefullyprepared and it is to ho hoped a. good energetic committee will l>e provided for this task. And it should not be a committee of one—the chairman with autocratic authority—buff a committee which will meet regularly and submit fortnightly reports of works done or works to lie done. The crying need of all parts of the town for attention to the streets, footpaths and drains, makes this action a necessity if

r.ll part's of the Borough are to be fairly treated. Yes, there is pressing work for an enthusiastic Works Committee to attend to.

It is to be hoped that the candidates for Borough honors, will be explicit to-night in regard to their intentions as to tiro condition of the Town Hal! and the state or the Carnegie Library. We have no hesitation in saying that the dilapidated plight of these two important buildings are not a credit to the retiring Council. The Town If all is one of the most prominent buildings in the town, and it is, outwardly. not in a presentable state. Its condition might well draw adverse .omment from a ciitieal Julian Grande and many adverse remarks are passed by visitors to the town on the condition the building presents. The interior of the Carnegie Library :s no less deplorable. These two properties represent some thousands of lon mb in value and yet they are allowed to present the saddening spectacle they do to-day. The last Council meeting shewed a credit balance of over C ■ Chi), which members seemed to think very creditable. But it is not to their credit to possess these accumulated funds while the costly buildings tontrolled bv tiro Council are allowed to reach the state they have. There is urgent need for attention to the buildings if the people have any civic pride at all, and we are guile satisfied that realising the position, the electors will not tolerate a Council which does not set about immediately t# place the public buildings under its control in more seemly erudition and repair.