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Otago Daily Times, Issue 11947, 22 January 1901, Page 4

• It is not possible to compliment the citizens of Dunedin upon the interest they take iii the cause of civic progress when , not one-half of those who were qualified to do so recorded their votes at yesterday's poll on the tramway loan proposal. But it is at least a subject for congratulation that the result of the poll was such a thorough defeat for the party of obstruction. The unworthy tactics which they adopted on the eve of the polling day have recoiled unmistakably upon their own heads. It was very probably due largely to the issue of their disingenuous circular that what interest was apparent yesterday was excited; and tne result which gave a majority of 661 in a .valid poll of 1223 votes in favour of the loan is, under all the circumstances, quite satisfactory. The opponents of the proposal mustered altogether 281 voters. We are entitled to assume that this approximately represents the strength of those who were opposed to the immediate. sanctioning of the loan.. The ratepayers who object* for one cause or another to the adoption of a borrowing proposal are not usually those who abstain from voting. They are as a rule particularly careful to record their votes. The thousand and more ratepayers who did not exercise their privilege may be said to be those who were indifferent as to the result, and tliose who, relying on the good sense of their fellow ratepayers to carry the proposal, did not put themselves to the. trouble of votiug. The lazy habit of leaving it- to one's neighbour to prevent the infliction of a blow upon the cause of progress always has its dangers, but fortunately the obstructionists on the present occasion have proved themselves to be an insignificant minority. The Gity Council has received the assurance that the great mass of the citizens are behind it in the legitimate enterprise upon which it has embarked. It has given certain ground for criticism in some of the steps that it lias taken, hut we have every confidence in its now proceeding with the important scheme for the conversion of the tramways in a manner that will convince its critics, that its sole interest 'in the matter is to secure the best results for the citizens.