The Evening Mail. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1879.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 864, 22 January 1879, Page 2

The Evening Mail. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1879.

Tbb. ratepayers will to-morrow he called upon to- record their votes for or against the proposal to borrow an additional sum of Ltt>,ooo for the purpose of constructing the Oamaru waterworks and bringing the waller to their residence*. We do not purpose to. enter fully into the question as to whether the scheme entered upon is or is not too large for the town. Neither will we say a-ttEcht regarding the feasibility of having obtained" an equally efficient and less expensive water supply. The time for discussing those point* has long ainee gone by, and we are brought now to the consideration of one question : Is ft wiser to go- into the money market and borrow such a sum as will enable us to reap the benefit of the money already expended, or count the large amount that has so far been spent on the works as of no moment, and allow the works to remain in their unfinished and consequently unproductive- state S We are fully convinced that an overwhelming majority are in favor of further borrowing, but we would caution them not to- feet too much assured nf fcfvPtr victory. Their strength may be -reader tbw t?«*t »f their opponents, but far. th«rw not. urvfar estimate the power* of hh-.se wh- writ vote against the pr»pos.*d. The ayes ma-v be three-times as great in niHul-er as the noes, but this will avail them nothing unless they record their votes at the poll. Over-confidence and a consequent indifference has ere now resulted in the toss- of many a battle that might have been won easily had !es* confidence and more energy been displayed. Let every ratepayer record his vote, whatever his opinions may be, and there will he n „ occasion for fruitless- after regrets that the powers of the plebiscite were not fully put into force. This we know applies move forcibly to those who are of opinion that the additional loan shotttd be raised. We have heard many such declare that they would not vote upon the question, as -they knew there would be no need for their votes, and they could better employ the time, tfueh as these should bear in mind that the opponents of further borrowing wilt vote to a man, and that though I they may be small in numbers, they may [.prove victorious when the ballot-box is opened if, feeling confident of success, (hose who favor the raising of an additional L4t>,«W> do- not record their votes, but penult judgment to go by rfefatttt.. fore we say to every ratepayer— Record your vote. If the proposal i» carried by Itn. overwhelming majority so much the better. Such a result would strengthen the hands of the Council in floating the loan—-a consideration which should not be cast aside as of no value. To enable ratepayers record their votes distinctly, we may give some idea how the voting wilt he oarvied out. The voting papers to be supplied are »f a very ponderous and somewhat bewildering nature ; but they may be easily understood. At the bottom wilt be found two lines in prominent type. They are t. t vote for the above proposal. '_*. I vote against the above proposal. The ratepayer wishing to vote in favor of raisin" the loan should carefutty er.vse the second line, white those opposing further borrowing will frecord their votes against it by striking out the first line.