THE MUNICIPALITY.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 49, 7 April 1877, Page 3

THE MUNICIPALITY.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, — "V.M." suggests that we should wait a year or two and try to keep the C6urity together. This.: idea;. ;is very -well for country people, but townspeople consider that procrastination/ is the theif of time, •fancy people accustomed to civilization waiting two years, for foothpaths. Moreover, ; m two years the funds from which the subsidy is to be drawn may be exhausted. The population which was drawn hither by the copiousness of money, would go to some civilized place .to spend it. We are on the eve of a crisis, and we must, either slip the cable and launch out into the troubled waters of selfgovernment and civilization, or lie down quietly and be overwhelmed. To speak more plainly, everybody expects bad times all over the colony during the eusuing winter, and we must all choose whether to try our luck elsewhere or to remain and invest our money here. "V. M. " still refuses to weigh, the p?-os and the cojw. The advantage derived by Palmerston from the County is £150 voted for metalling a bit of the thoroughfare between Foxton and the Gorge. The advantages of separation are — our share of the County revenue ; the right of spending it instead of having it spent for us, an advantage which "V. M." would feel if a stranger had the right of spending " V. Ms. " private means, and certain iicense fees which are not now levied, and the right of making footpaths at the expense of the owners of the contiguous land. As most of Palmerston is unimproved, the absentee would thus contribute more than the settler who will take comfort both from the improvements and from the expenditure. As a matter of fact, population follows progress, and when the absentee land is forced into the market purchasers will be easily found, who will increase public and private revenue, and at the end of two yeai's instead of being m statv, quo as " V. M." wishes, or as onr neighbours hope and trust, illustrating the parable of the mushroom, we shall continue to astonish, them by our progress, and compel them to buy m our market. — I am, &c, W.