The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1879.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 153, 7 May 1879, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1879.

Whether the gift be wise or foolish we will not say, but every Municipality can claim an endowment of not more than 2,000 acres of land. As things go it is a comfortable little property in the present and apossible fortune in the future, There are, however, certain forms and technicalities which have to be gone through in order to obtain these endowments, and in practice it is found that influencing M.II.R's. and interviewing Ministers has a tendency not only to expedite and facilitate the transfer, but to make a considerable difference as to whether the endowment comes in the shape of a snow-capped mountain or a fertile vale. Enterprisirg Municipalities look very carefully after such endowments, and if a deputation lias not waited yet on the Ministry from the Masterton Borough Council, it has probably been because its members are busied with other matters. Last week we alluded to the way in which these members neglect their proper duties in order to discharge those which tlicy ar not called upon to perform, and we hope yet to be able to convince them that their zeal is mistaken, The question of endowments, which we are now considering, will admirably illustrate our view. The income of the Borough is very limited, and when members of its Council save, perhaps, £IOO or

or £l5O a year by doing surveyor's and engineer's work themselves, one is. apt at first to bo enthusiastic over such patriotism, and cry Bravo ! Councillor Renall; Kapai, Councillor Gapper ; Encore, Councillor Russell, .But on subsequent consideration doubts arise. First, we question whether the amateur work is equal to the professional work. If it'be not, we must dock something off the £IOO or £l5O, and we are inclined to believe that it is not, and wo think the public are with us in our opinion, and hold that the actual saving is very inconsiderable, Still wo admit a saving till we come to a second consideration, viz., that when the energies of Councillors are devoted to works of supererogation they neglect such matters as endowments. It is evident that 2,000 acres of good laud would be infinitely more valuable to Mastertoii than the little plans and specifications which our Councillors like to concoct. In the interests of the Borough we would ask the Councillors to pay some professional man 5 per cent, on contracts, and let liim design and overlook them so that they can, when they meet together, concentrate their attention on endowments and a dozen other subjects we could name, in each of which they could do far more good for the Borough than they are now doing. A time may come when endowments may be practically unobtainable, even now it is with considerable difficulty that a good one it secured. We shall not feel much .gratitude to our present Councillors if, while saving a hundred pounds for us they lose two thousand. We do hope that Councillors will endeavor to retrace the false step they have, recently taken. It is some satisfaction that all the members are not favorable to the very unsatisfactory system which now prevails. We are glad that his Worship the Mayor advocates the change we recommend, and we look to the conversion of tin: three Councillors whose names we have quoted above as all that is wanting to put matters on a proper footing. They may possess special knowledge and experience in road making, bridges, and building, but it is not for this that they are elected. Some member of the Council may have a special skill in collecting accounts, but becauso he would be capable of doing such work we should hardly expect him to go round and collect the rates. Cr Kcnall would, perhaps, be the first to say to such a one if he did go round, " You are not the right man to take public money, I won't pay you," and just in the same way we can say with propriety to Cr Eenall, " You are not the right man to do engineering, I won't take your specifications.' You are elected as an intelligent citizen to deliberate on all matters connected with the interests of the Borough, and to carry out the provisions of the Municipal Act, Do this wisely and well and you will merit the thanks of the community. Subordinate the Act to your fondness for metalling and gravelling, your mania lor the pick and shovel, and you will be unworthy of the position you hold, and of the trust that is reposed in you, It is an undoubted fact that the Councillors of the Borough are very zealous to be of service in their public capacity, restlessly anxious to push the town ahead. Wo do not for a moment fail to admire tlio zeal or to sympathise with the anxiety, but we fear that the zeal is flowing into wrong channels, It will not accomplish the good end in view,