CITY COUNCIL AND THE RATES.

Nelson Evening Mail, 15 May 1917, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL AND THE RATES.

ONE of the first acts of the new Council has been to raise the rates by fourpence. Much as this step is to bo regretted, it must be admitted by any fair-minded man that any other course at this juncture was out of the question. In the past Councillors have otten refused to raise the rates, but they have not refused to raise the overdraft. Oi the two courses the former is unquestionably the cheaper and fairer to the ratepayers, for the latter entails the payment of interest as well as the obligation to find the money. The most unsatisfactory feature, however, is that some old Councillors who had the backbone and honesty to state definitely that the rates should be raised, and to speak out plainly on other points, have been turned down by the electors, while others with incomplete knowledge oi the position, and stating that they would not increase the rates, have been chosen by the people. Yet when these men enter office and begin to understand the true state of affairs, they raise the rates. Strictly speaking, they should resign and re-contest the election with the old Councillors who told the elector? straight out the unpleasant truth that it would be necessary to raise the rates. We do not suggest for one moment that these new Councillors were insincere in their statements to the electors, or that they were angling for votes. But, like most people who do not follow Council affairs as closely as they should, they were quite the dark regarding the true state- of affairs. Inquiry into the facts has shown their that the rates must be raised if for no other reason than to meet the-obligations to which thev find themselves already

committed. They are, in one sense, to be congratulated on the stand they have made, and we are certain that ninetenths of the ratepayers at least, would do the same if they inquired fairly into the facts —there is absolutely no other course open to any man capable of coherent thinking. For this and other reasons, it is, in the circumstances, hardly necessary to press for the resignations so far as the ratepayers are concerned. But this does not remove the possible injustice to defeated candidates who knew the facts, and had given expression to their views regarding the raising of the rates. In his retiring address the exMayor, Mr C. J. Harley referred to Cr. Moi'fatt's defeat, and congratulated him on having had the backbone to state the facts. What inducement is it for a man to enter public life, if when he takes a real stand in the true interests of the people, he is turned down by the electoi's, and others tfvho state pleasant impossibilities—in this case proved impossibilities by their own actions—are returned. In future it will be just as ■well to make quite certain that candidates for municipal business know what they are talking about, before they are returned, unless the electors are prepared to take a man on his face value as was done in the case of several of the new councillors.