Page 3 Advertisements Column 1

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 259, 8 September 1879, Page 3

mO THE BURGESSES OF MASTER. 1 TON. Ladies and Gkhtlbmek— Havinq been requested to allow myself to bo nominated as r Candidate for one of the vacant seats iu the Borough Council, I uuvu uuusmieu, ana 1 now tender to you my opinions on some of what I consider tho principal subjects to be dealt with by the Council, mctalleff «d put in a thorough state of tc P a ' r i Vi ithas moro traflic on it than all the other roads in tho Borough put together. Also, a survey map of the Borough should be made with the various levels, to enable the Council to determine the levels of the different streets, both for building and draining purposes, for until we have data to goby it is useless to talk of drainage or water supply. 1 am in favor of pushing on a Drainage system at the earliest opportunity, but I should object to borrow funds for that purpose until we know the levels and can estimate tho cost, / I think the Council cannot afford and do not require permanent professional officers, but, nevertheless, should employ them when the occasion required. I do not agree generally with the purchase of land for widening streets, as it is in most instances to the interest of the owner to give the land to secure a wide street; still, there may be cases where it is politic to purchase. 1 think it is best for a Borough to be divided into Wards, but at present I think the expense would be greater than the benefit. With regard to Finance, I consider the estimated expenditure should not exceed the estimated revenue, and no works except of an urgent and exceptional nature should be carried on simply to be paid for out of the Bank overdraft, which I look upon as a fund to fall hack onto meet uuforseen contingencies, and I consider the test of good government is the lowest amount of taxation compatible with the efficiency of the public service. If elected I shall endeavour to do justice to the Borough as a whole.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Yours truly, WILLIAM FBANCaS. Queen-street, Masterton, Sept, 8,1878. 569 Ladies and Gentlemen',— J Having again ken requested to allow myself to bo nominated as a candidate to represent you in the Borough Council I have much pleasure in acceeding to the request. In soliciting your vote and interest, I consider it my duty to express to you my views on what l cmisidei the leading topics affecting our joint interest. Having so lately publicly stated my opinions on various local matters it is unnecessary (or me to trouble you with a repetition. I will, therefore, confine myself to i rkily touching on some subjects omitted in my former address. I submit that the question of a loan is of vital importance to the Borough, as it cannot be denied that the present impecunious state of the Borough Treasury effectually precludes the carrying out of those reproductive public works which necessarily tend to promote the welfare of the community at large. If re most endeavors to procure a loan of at least £20,000 to be allocated as follows: —£10,000 for Drainage and Water Supply; £5,000 for street formation ; the balance to be applied in such a manner as the Council may determine for the welfare of the town, My reason sum must be patent to all who study the Imestion, for, if oidy a sufficient sum were raised for the formation of streets, and other local works, we should soon find ourselves in our present position with everything in a state of disrepair, and no funds in hand to remedy the evil. In any direction we may travel we cannot but observe the urgent necessity at present existing for the expenditure of public money in order to render our roads passable, not only for traffic but even for pedestrians, There can be no doubt the fact is ataring us in the face that our only alternative is

either to borrow or have our rates doubled; but a matter of even greater importance is impending, a question not merely affecting our pockets, but the health and even the lives of ourselves and families. If one of the greatest of all sanitary questions be neglected —namely, Drainage-germs may be planted whjch, before the end of summer, fructify and produce an epidemic of typhoid and other low fevers, which might decimate the district, The two questions of Drainage and Water Supply are so intimately connected that the undertaking of one will necessarily involve the carrying out of the other. Considering the facilities afforded us by nature for obtaining a water supply from so many somees, if we were in a position to carry out this scheme, wc should be culpably negligent were we to overlook it, as it would certainly be reproductive before long. I cannot but consider that many questions of the greatest importance to the Borough, have not, so far, bjen satisfactorily coped with by the Council, and I would instance, • in support of this assertion, the utter want of energy displayed by most of the members in in procuring the' loan consented to, and earnestly desired by a majority of the ratepayers. I feel it my duty to declaim against the hand to mouth policy which has been practised up to the present period. The present Council has had a fair trial, and as far as I can soc, has failed to carry out faithfully the trust reposed in it, as its present financial condition isone of almost hopeless insolvency. Money has been recklessly expended in certain favored parts, to the exclusion of others equally deserving, but less fortunate, and we now find ourselves burdened with a debt of£9oo, in the shape of a Bank Overdraft, for wbfch we are paying interest at nine per cent., whereas a much larger amount should be obtained at half the above rate. As a licensed victualler, I stand in rather a peculiar position, and will doubtless, as before, be strongly opposed by the various Temperance bodies. Such opposition I must expect, as I have no doubt that chey are acting on their convictions, which they have a perfect right to hold. I, however, have full confidence that the majority of the not be influenced by the mistaken flppiism of a few. I trust, however, that you will not permit me to be handicapped by the mere fact of my calling being objectionable to a certain' seotion of the community, but will simply consider as to whether, in your opinion, I, as a ratepayer, will, if returned, faithfully and diligently carry out my duiies in the Council in such a manner as to merit the confidence placed in me. I will conclude by simply assuring you that the welfare of the Borough will always be my first consideration, and that no effort will be wanting on my part to promote its advancement, I beg to remain, Ladies and Gentlemen, Yours faithfully, JOHN fl. CORBETT, Masterton, Sept. 8,1879, 259

SEPARATE Tenders will be received up J to 5 p.m. on TUESDAY, 30th inst, for old Telegraph Poles and Wire, Vallance's Range, Te Ore Ore, and Masterton, Specifications may bo seen at the Telegraph oifice, Masterton. J. ORCHISTON, Sub-Inspector. ' September 4,1879. 255