ST ALBANS LOAN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 8149, 21 April 1887, Page 6

ST ALBANS LOAN.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — " Loan or no loan ? ” that is the question placed before Councillors by the Mayor at the last meeting of the Council, and I am pleased to think that we have at least four Councillors who bestow the time and trouble necessary to look after our interests in a proper manner, and to Councillors Moor, Neate, Penteney, and Smith be the honour of having the courage of their opinions. " Progress ” evidently knows very little about the matter, or he would not wonder on what grounds four of those present voted against the resolution. I will tell him—the Mayor’s figures were wrong, and this, I feel convinced, in no small measure accounts for the Mayor not having the courage to exorcise his casting vote in order to put the question before the ratepayers. “Progress,” my dear boy, to make a long story short, it is just as well it is as it is, for the ratepayers would no more have sanctioned that loan than they would have made you the next king of the Cannibal Islands. If tho Council as a whole are not capable of administering small amounts—witness the late junior clerk business—you may rest assured ratepayers are not going to entrust them with large sums. Thus, our thanks are doubly due to those Councillors who saved us the expense of taking a poll. “ Anti-mud ” takes care to shield himself behind " Progress’ ” ideas, and insinuates that the four Councillors above-named have become fossilised in their ideas. Query— Have “ Anti-mud’s ” ideas on the question ever seen tho light, and if so, why not let his fellow-ratepayers have the benefit of them ? The secret of the whole thing is—-

that it is not good enough for two-thirds of the district to pay rates for the exclusive benefit of one-third.—l am, &c., A. B. C. DAEIAN.