The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1909. THE LOAN PROPOSALS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2685, 15 December 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1909. THE LOAN PROPOSALS.

We should like to hear of some activity, on the part of those who du improve of the bludgeon methods of the Mayor and a majority of the Council over the loan proposals. That these ■are resented by the bulk of the ratepayers we feel sure, but in such an important, matter nothing should be left ■to chance. If justice and fair mindedness stand for anything m Gisborne then the loan proposals in their present form should be strenuously opposed next Monday, not because of any inherent fault in the reforms that aro sought,,, but because of the utterly wrong methods by which they are espoused. Those ratepayers who do vote for the. “job lot” put forth by the Mayor should not be permitted to do so on the grounds that they did not understand the true position. We claim that only one side was given proper attention at last week’s meeting, which might fittingly be described as the Mayor’s meeting.. The exception was the admirable speech made by Councillor Darton. On that occasion a mos? alluring statement was produced by the Mayor and was naturally received with considerable satisfaction by the audience. We frankly admit that His Worship acted in the utmost good faith in quoting as lie did, yet we assert unhesitatingly that his figures in many instances were absolutely incorrect and his conclusions unwarranted. This does not in itself imply opposition on our part to the proposals themselves, but it does emphasise the necessity of another meeting being held at which those who are in a position to state the actual facts will do so in the ” l " terests of the ratepayers and of the. town as a whole .At, the- Mayor’s meeting we heard a good deal of the P i m ‘ ciplcs of progress and enterprise that are necessary > to make Gisborne the city that it is to be in the future. All we can say is that if, the destiny of this city is to depend upon the weakness of principle;: that is being manifested by many who are supporting the present loan proposals then there must

be a sorry time' ahead. Therd are 'members of the community, including ’Councillors, who have stated their intention to vote for the proposals as they stand, yet who frankly admit the injustice that is being done by subhiitting them as a whole. Now, this 'is either right or wrong, and we claim that it can never be right. J3ecause they fear to lose sewerage 'and other ’desirable reforms, they will, on the score of expediency, not only vote for some measures they concede to be against the interests of the town, but will acquiesce in the wrong that is 'being perpetrated upon the ratepayers over the method of voting. We are as •desirous as anyone of seeing the town flourish; we have as much faith as anyone in its magnificent possibilities; but we refuse to believe that its prosperity will be assisted by any proposals that are built up on injustice or misrepresentation. We assert that the position put forth by the Mayor represents optimism run mad, and we add that in all the history of the place no suggestion so unjust has been put to the public vote as the present one, whereby only those who agree with the Mayor in every detail of his multifarious schemes can register an effective vote in a reasonable way. The old motto “the end justifies the means” may do for some individuals in private life, but it will be a deplorable thing for any community when it secures public commendation. We want good roads, we want sewerage, we want trams, and all the other things, but if there is a proper civic sentiment in the community the people will not accept them on the Mayor’s terms. They will instead insist upon the innate right of every iatepayer whether he be wealthy or poor, patriotic or unpatriotic, Lysnarite or opposition, to register his vote for the particular proposal he favors and against the proposals he objects to. This is a principle that should be insisted ‘upon at all costs, and we trust that the. Council will get a sharp reminder on the point on Monday next. In the meantime, however, organisation is urgently necessary. It is not sufficient to rest quietly and rely solely on the justice of the cause. The other side will be working hard and will leave nothing to chance to achieve their ends; surely nothing less must •be expected of the opposition. In this connection constant stress must be 'laid on the fact that a defeat of the prfaposa’s next Monday will not in itself constitute opposition to needed improvements, nor even delay m their execution. As we have already made ■clear, the Council would then be compelled to re-submit the issues in the 'form demanded by the people, and the 'works subsequently sanctioned by a 'legitimate vote of the ratepayers, 'could be undertaken just as promptly as if approved of on Monday next.