The Wanganui Chronicle PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 1894.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11939, 24 March 1894, Page 2

The Wanganui Chronicle PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA." SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 1894.

His WoKSHir the Mayor writes to us ' drawing attention to a misconc option that appears to provail in some quarters with regard to the proposed Borough loan. There are still people to be found who think that increased borrowing raußt necessarily mean increased interest charged, and consequently increased rates. We have on several occapions tried to explain that the Borough loan pro. poßalß do not involve any increased ratios:. Our local contemporary has also written to the bams ■ effect. But it may bo that there are ratepayers who have not jet looked into the question at all It is very urgent that they should do so now. Because, if thay fail to rote when the poll is taken— in about a fortnight — the Council will be prohibited from borrowing the extra £72,000. and all the works scheduled will have to be stopped. If borrowing an extra J812.000 meant increasing the rates that the people have to pay by even an additional penny, the ratepayers might think twice about voting for it. But it does not. Money can be borrowed bo much cheaper now than when our old loans were floated that we will not have to pay any more interest on £55,000 than we have had to pay all these years on £43,000. To all who are interested in the mattor— uud that :a everybody in the borough, but more particularly those who pay the rates— we commend a careful perusal and consideration of the letter of the Mayor, Mr Freeman R. Jackson, which will be found in anotho column.

We referred in terms of strong condemnation, on Thursday morning, to the gross mismanagement that characterised the taking of tho licensing poll at the Courthouse on Wednesday. We have since had it impressed upon us by the bupporters of iicenses as well as by prohibitionists, that our remarks were not half strong enough. We do not exaggerate is the least when we say that the management was simply scandalous and the whole affair n. burlesque. Indeed, the local option poll might easily be voided, and tin successful candidates of the Licensing Committee be unseated if any. body cared to take action in the matter. Fortunately, as the prohibitionists did not fight the election, nnd put forward no candidates for the Committee, they are not likely to attempt any interference with tho result. But apart from sectional

[ interests, it matters a great deal to the whole community that elections on which important results depend should be conducted with some Httlo regard for decency. How utterly discreditable, how hopelessly inefficient, was the conduct of the poll-taking on Wednesday, will be befit understood when we say that, not only were the voting psvpors manipulated by voters in full publi ; view in the polling booth, but they were carried outside the building altog other, and in some cases, we are assured, were even takon to an hotel to be Jdealt with, and then returned to the Courthouso and put into the ballot box. The voting compartments were not merely used by sevoral electors at the same time, but were invaded by I people who instructed electors liotv to vote aad even manipulated their papers for them. The Becrecy of the ballot was flagrantly eet at naught by publichouse supporters and opponents alike, but it may perhaps be said for the offenders that they seemed ignorant, or were paid to act as they did, or be deprived of the opportunity of voting altogether. Indeed, many electors were bo deprived. They waited until they could wait no longer, and finally had to retire without voting. In some cbbbb they returned later in the day, but even then could not bo attended to, and bo, from no fault of their own, were forced to forfeit thoir electoral rights. We have ssid enough, we think, to show that the whole affair was a public scandal, and to make it abundantly manifest that a rigid scrutiny and inquiry ought to be mad 1 * into the various matters of which we have complained.