The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1909. THE PEOPLE’S VERDICT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2690, 21 December 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1909. THE PEOPLE’S VERDICT.

We are not greatly surprised at the result of the poll for the £175,000 loan, nor are w.e in the least degree dismayed by the verdict of the ratepayers. We must frankly confess that we should have been better pleased had the public insisted upon the proposals being submitted in the only manner that could be .considered fair and just to every ratepayer, but, with a Mayor and Council prepared to ride 1 roughshod over democratic principles, it was scarcely to he expected that' the general ratepayers would take the risk of sacrificing their immediate desires for the sake of abstract ideals. For .the rest' we are content in having made it clear to the .public that the improvements‘.offered to them will have to be paid - for. Subject ' to the reservation on the method of placing the issues we think the ratepayers arc to be congratulated upon the wisdom of their choice. , The extravagant promises that have been made reduced rates will, of course, not ’be realised. Instead, the rates will have to be raised, if ,not within the first year

or two, certainly later on. Even so, | the position, need cause no anxiety, J alway s providing that the huge loan'| just sanctioned is wisely spent. Sew- | crage, waterworks extension, and good ; roads were absolute necessities that had to' be taken in hand promptly, 'even though they involved an increase of local taxation. Tramways and electric lighting form legitimate fields* for municipal enterprise, both of which should (prove profitable in the long run, whilst recreation grounds and another bridge over the Waimata arc desirable conveniences. The weakest feature of the individual proposals was that relating to road expenditure, but-, as we ' pointed out at the time, the Mayor removed a lot of antagonism when he announced that the carrying of the .poll would not necessarily ipledge the Council definitely to the scheme that had up to that time been adopted. In this connection we hope that the appointment of a first-class engineer will result in the road policy being placed upon a much sounder basis than has been' the case up to the present. Of course, the next thing to be done is to get the money, and, as with individuals, so with the corporation, this may prove the real stumbling block. In this respect the public will shortly have an opportunity to judge whether the much-vaunted statements of the Town Clerk and the Mayer are correct. They assumed that the money would be obtained at 4 per cent., including sinking fund. We estimated that 4£ per cent., including sinking fund, would have to be paid. We trust the official statements will (prove to have been justified, but we are not sanguine.