THE BOROUGH LOAN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 26, 24 December 1917, Page 4

THE BOROUGH LOAN.

The • acknowledgment of a policy of

“go-slow” by the ratepayers of Stratford for nearly two decades was anything but satisfactory, and the carrying of the. Street-improvement loan of CIo.OOO on Saturday may or may not be taken as indicating a realisation of the folly Of such a course. The negative proviso' is inserted for the reason that those responsible, viz..

the ratepayers as a whole, may qmU easily digress and suffer a relapse and allow the town to sink into tin background, instead of, as was at out time believed it would be, well'in tlk van of municipal progress in the Dominion. The apathy of ratepayers generally in regard to the welfare, of their towns is remarkable, so much so that a change in the franchise, giving householders as distinct from ratepayers a greater voice in the management of the municipalities, is advocated by students of a certain school of thought. Also, the adoption of compulsory measures in regard to voting on loan proposals would !>e preferable to the present system with its opportunities for drift and neglect. That less than 270 out of 1200 votes were recorded on a subject that lias been before the ratepayers for years, lias raised so much public controversy, and is of such outstanding importance to the town, denotes a lamentable lack of interest, for which there can be no excuse, and which places in an entirely false position those of our citizens who conscientiously desire to see and work for the advancement of Stratford. However, until the franchise is'further widened ratepayers will, no doubt, continue to act just as. spasmodically as in the past, hut inj the case of Stratford, at least, thej awakening to the truth of the position as far as our town is concerned may now keep them steadfast in the faith] of its importance and of the need for ( progress. Under all the circum-, stances, the Mayor and Councillors may be congratulated on the completion of the first step towards improved reading in the main thoroughfares. A decision has yet to be come to regarding the nature of the roadfonmation, but there appears to be no] doubt that concrete will be finally | chosen. Before this is done, the ( Council is pledged to call another, meeting of ratepayers and lay beforej them facts and figures relating to taf ( macadam and concrete, upon the ( relative merits of which diligent, search and reports will he made during the next few months.