COUNCIL AMENITIES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14324, 14 October 1910, Page 6

COUNCIL AMENITIES.

To the Editor of the "Timaru Herald." Sir, —Noting tho defence put forward by the Deputy Mayor explaining his attitude to t-lie Council meeting on Monday night, it is refreshing to learn that he is going to nut his foot down firmly in future. That is hardly an excuse for criticism, because if he can nut- his foot down firmly in future, whv did he not do so in iha past ? The whole erux of the position is tlia t our Uorouch representatives need ii thorough weeding out There are some thero who are out of daie. there are some there who think Unit tlis nemo of their duty is to make trouble, and there are others there who are not at all suitable io hold a position of such importance. Tl must DC b>;rno in mind that r!i«> Wnl government has everything to do with local progression. and as such the most intellectual of the residents ! should come forward to offer their services. Thev do not do so. and what is the rctison ? Just simply that the franchise is too liberal, and those who arc deficient in the necessary education have the power to upset the poll, and so put undesirable men into the position of dispensing our borough business. It is the case of the British House of Lords over again, only a little worse, as this country in its inconsistent volatility professes to be democratic. But what is the difference? The great objection of all thinking people to the House of Lords is its hereditary continuance, through which even an imbecile at the present day has tha power to turn into law perhaps the greatest Question of the greatest power on earth, and so is it with our alleged democratic country, where men have through 11 so generosity of the franchise —a franchise that was only so extended in order to patch votes—been given a power that they are not capable of using to general commercial advantage. Timaru will remain dormant until this so necessary spring cleaning of the Council Chamber is effected, and that its progression is sorely handicapped is indisputably evidenced by tho remarks above submitted. —I am. etc.. YEXTJS YFIiBA FUXDIS.