A MUNICIPAL INDICTMENT

New Zealand Times, Volume LXX, Issue 3826, 23 August 1899, Page 3

A MUNICIPAL INDICTMENT

(By ‘‘Double B.”) The rejection of the Corporation loan proposals means mainly that citizens distrust both the Council and its executive to competently and economically carry out to a satisfactory completion any scheme of improvement either small or large. There will need to be a reconstruction of both Council and municipal staff of a wholesale and comprehensive character, before any confidence whatever can be placed in the municipal administration of Wellington. The abolition of wards and the institution of, say, a biennial general election of councillors is the only possible means of securing an intelligent and capable Council. Achieve that, and there would soon be an “earthquake” among the permanent officials. At present, with only four new men to go in at each election, eight imbecile human phonographs are left, whom no self-respecting man cares to be associated with But with the institution of a general election, it wou’d be practicable, at the very . first poll, to run a strong party “ticket” and.so get in a dozen leading business men of assured standing in the commercial world, and who might reasonably be exnected to exercise at least common-sense In the control of the Council’s affairs. A general election would not necessarily mean an entirely new Council every two years. Men who had shown they possessed qualification would be fairly certain of re-election; but at the same time mere would bo a,t least a chance of “firin'- out” self-satisfied duffers of the stamp we have had such a woeful experience of. Therefore, what we now need to- fight for, apart from re-adjustment of franchise, is “Abolition of wards and the triennial general election of councillors.” . Don’t let us trouble about details at this stage; simply ram home the main principle I have indicated wnenever possible, and we may effect something. . . . On the same subject, “Wellingtoman writes as follows: —The refusal of ratepayers to sanction the recent loan proposals has evidently stirred the ire of councillors,’ and there appeal’s to be some vague talk among those gentlemen of protesting against such, ungrateful conduct by resigning in a body. Now, the part played by the Ratepayers’ Association in connection with the late poll is perhaps to ,a certain extent to be lamented as a somewhat short-sighted proceeding; but if that action result in the resignation of the gentlemen at present occupying the-City Council .Chambers, the effect of any check that may have’been put upon, the progress of the city will be amply compensated for. The scene at last night’s meeting of the Public Works Committee is one of a series of sorry exhibitions of folly and incapacity that have marked so many of the sittings of our City Council for years past. The apathetic, “let-things-slide” stylo of regarding things that seems to be peculiar to Wellington folk is no doubt largely responsible fon | this condition of affairs, which certainly is not a monument to their intelligence. Small wonder; there is such difficulty, in getting an intelligent gentleman to remain in the Mayoral chair. It is to be hoped that nothing will be placed in the way of councillors resigning seats which many of them should never have filled. In the awakened interest in civic affairs that, has followed the granting of the extended franchise, wc may fairly expect them to be replaced by men who understand the needs of the. city and the duties attaching to their positions as the representatives of the ratepayers.