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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4195, 31 August 1874, Page 4

The duty which the ratepayers of Wellington will shortly be called upon to discharge is of more than ordinary interest and importance. Reference to our business columns will show that nominations for the election of a Councillor for each of the three wards of the City must bo made before Wednesday, and, therefore, the friends of intending candidates have not much time to spare, either in arranging for their nomination or election. There Ijave been times in the history of Wellington when it has not been a matter of paramount consequence who was called upon to fulfil municipal offices, but the present, for many reasons, is not one of these. The case might be supposed of candidates of equal merit and desirability offering their services, and then, the decision of the ratepayers would not be of great moment. Not knowing who may be nominated, it is not for us to say whether this will be the case this year or not; but there is one very obvious fact that we cannot shut our eyes to. The three retiring Councillors have given their services to the ratepayers at considerable cost and inconvenience to themselves. Each has extensive business engagements of a private nature to supervise and attend to, and there is, to say the least, a very strong probability that men who are diligent in their own business will show not less aptitude in the conduct of that of a public nature. • Moreover, there is a very great advantage in having men in office who have had an experience in the discharge of the duties pertaining thereto. There is a very popular theory about the infusion of a little new blood, but experience teaches that it is very often an erroneous one. When a man is found to well fulfil that which is expected at his hands, to remove him simply for the purpose of effecting a change is an unwise policy. The conclusion does not necessarily follow from this that the three retiring'Councillors should be elected, if they allow themselves to be nominated ; but the fact is very clearly as we have stated it. Possibly it may be urged that the labors of the Council have been attended with very meagre results during the past few months ; but this consideration simply adds strength to our argument, that it is very important the ratepayers should take care and only allow the very best men coming forward to be elected. Even one unsuitable person may do much towards nullifying the labors of all : to expect that only good men will be nominated would be hoping far too much. It is easy for almost any qualified person to obtain a nomination, and there are not wanting busy-bodies and others to whom a contested election serves as an advertisement, even if there be small chance of success. Sometimes such persons are returned through the apathy of the ratepayers ; and if such should be the case this year in Wellington, interests of very grave importance will suffer.

The truth of the above will bo apparent on even a slight consideration of the subjects that are likely to engage the attention of the Council during tire ensuing twelve months. Although the Legislative Council threw out the Bill for the reclamation of the Te Aro foreshore, it is not likely that the subject will be allowed to drop through. The Council is in possession of a grant from the Crown to the City of this foreshore, which will, there can be no question, prove to it a magnificent and valuable estate. If it should be necessary to again approach the Legislature respecting the reclamation, that there should be some well digested and better thought out scheme than the one that was this year rejected, is very desirable. Although we hold very strongly that the Legislative Council was entirely in the wrong in putting a veto on the wish of the ratepayers of Wellington in this matter, there was an excuse in the crudeness in which the project was clothed. About £50,000 would reclaim as much land as it would be desirable to at present take from the Bay, and the Bill should have been for £50,000 and not, as it was, for £150,001. But it is, as yet, a point to bo raised, whether the City Council need have troubled the Legislature on the subject. A legal opinion has, we have reason to believe, been given, that as the grant has been obtained unconditional!}', the matter can be arranged by the Provincial Government ; and if so, the work may be commenced at an early period. In this case it is very desirable that the members of the City Council should be of that character and standing which would warrant them being entrusted with the responsibility of carrying out a work of so much magnitude. But this is not the only one of importance with which the next Council will bo charged. It is known that a proper plan of the City, upon which the levels will bo accurately laid down, is being prepared at the joint expense of the Provincial Government and the Corporation. When this is completed, whicliitisexpected will bo the case in a few months, as the Corporation has power under the Act of last session to borrow £50,000, then the great work may bo commenced of thoroughly draining the whole City, and forming and permanently constructing every one of the streets. The AttorneyGeneral has, we are informed, given his opinion that the Corporation has plenary power under the Act of 1867 to proceed with this work. There is another subject of very great importance that will occupy the attention of the next Council, and that can be properly dealt with only by men of ripe business experience. The lease under which the present wharf is let will expire in a few months, and then new and

different regulations must be framed. The complaints that have been made respecting the present management of the wharf have been loud and long; but, until the lease upon which it is let has run out, little could bo done towards amending the state of things. The ratepayers have it in their power, in the election so shortly to come off, to send men into the Corporation who can and will ably represent them, and will deal properly with the important works and reforms we have indicated. It will be idle for them to elect as Councillors men who have neither the knowledge nor ability qualifying them to carry out works of such magnitude, and who, by reason of their inherent incapacity, will but squander and waste large sums of public money, which, if properly applied, would provide works for the City that would be of incalculable benefit to it. The Council, it will be seen, will probably have to deal with an amount of money that would form a conspicuous item in the Colonial Financial Statement. The Legislature would not authorise such an expenditure without giving it much consideration. It is certainly too large to be undertaken by any persons who have not business qualifications of a high order.' But, besides all this, there is Wellington itself to be considered. We have been told, during the past session, that an Act ought to be passed validating the removal to this City of the seat of Government, and declaring it the capital of the Colony. There is to be a large sum of money expended in constructing now public offices, rendering it in the last degree improbable that the seat of Government will ever be changed. We have seen how mightily the City has grown and developed during the past twelve months, and we are assured of the great and prosperous future it has before it. That its Municipal Government should be as perfect as possible whilst it is thus rapidly expanding is extremely desirable. That this should be so rests to a very considerable extent on the decision the ratepayers will very shortly arrive at.