MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 9118, 11 April 1901, Page 2

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

_ (To the Editor of the Herald.) Sir,— lbC view of the-forthcoming elections, I feel constrained to offer a few suggestions. Looking at the matter from the ratepayers' point, especially those west of. say, Bright or Cobden streets, it is imperative that all votera must continue £o elect candidates whose interests^ are bound within that boundary. We cannot expect any improvements west of Grey, street, without we conserve our votes. .The usual platitudes of an election address-r such as "If you do me the honor of elect ing me, I will do my best for the ratepayers generally"— are too indefinite. What we want is a definite.declaration that candidates shall promise to represent their particular locality first. There is room for a lot of improvements west of our monument I can assure you, sir, that the city does not end there, as some people fondly imagine. Towards the setting sun we require a bridge to relieve the over-strained structure at the end of Peel street. Candidates might also accept another suggestion or two. That an improvement might be made m employing more labor and less material. I think that if the channels were oftener cleared., and the grass' and weeds, kept down, and the trees on private property trimmed to a greater height, ive should be able to do with less metal. I consider that a law ought to be made, and strictly enforced, to compel and restrain individuals m the matter of tree planting, especially on the eastern and western boundary. To allow an individual to plant what he pleases on the boundary of a highway, to the detriment of the inhabitants generally, and to the waste of the finances of a Council, seems to me foolish. This is an important matter, and every candidate should be pledged to remedy this evil. The .channels of our streets ought also to be concreted, so that the dealing of them, could be reduced to - a minimum, Perhaps the underground drainage will prove too expensive for the Council to undertake; if so, a first-class system of surface channeling may be gone on with. Another item that strikes me would be an improvement west of the firebell, would be more tar put on the footpaths. See what a nice path they have on the south side of Palmerston road ! Now the south side of Gladstone road requires doing ! badly. Of course the answer to that is, < we have not enough at our local gas- ! works Then get a lot from Auckland. It will pay to keep down the grass and weeds. It is getting quite monotonous having our footpaths ploughed and harrowed. . :' : Another matter that also requires attention, i.e., tree planting. The poplar is becoming unpopular; this is no joke— it may be a pun. There is a tree called the> linden or lime. Some say the basswood' of America is tlie same. That is a tree winch I think would be a desirable addition to our streets. It is much superior to the plane. The most famous thoroughfare m Europe is "TJnter der Lindens," m Berlin. This matter might betaken m hand: by the Beautifying' Association. With your permission, sir, I may drop you another line.— Yours truly, W. L. FILE. •