The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1912.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3424, 16 January 1912, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1912.

Muncicipal Matters.

When a municipality is engaged upon & | number of very , important un-' dertaking s there would appear to be a strong tendency for matters which are but small in comparison to be overlooked or deferred. Just at the present time, for example, such a state of affairs is very noticeable in our own town. As regards actual works it would really ««ui that the policy of the present Council is to hold over as many shall we s&J minor? —matters until they can be dealt with in the course of the comprehensive improvement schemes that have been formulated. No doubt in theory this may be a capital idea, but it not infrequently happens tliat the comfort of the residents would he best consulted if something in the way cl palliative measures were adopted in the meantime. Only last year—to take a single instance—much inconvenience was occasioned residents of the suburbs owing to the fact- that the work of clearing the water channels and of preventing the storm water from lying on the roads was not undertaken at a much earlier date. This year, it is to be hoped, matters in tliis direction will not be so long deferred. What makes the aspect of borough affairs to which we allude very prominent at the present juncture is the fact that nothing lias just been done to obviate the accumulation in avoidable depressions of stagnant water here and there in the main thoroughfare of the town. Some day in the near future no doubt Gladstone Road will boast regular concrete gutters, along which a steady stream of surplus water may perhaps be spared to flow. That day, however, is not yet. Maybe the Borough authorities are very busy, but still all that is needed in the meantime to remove the ugly anu unhealthy pools that are wont to establish themselves is a little grading and a few loads of material. Why this -m:t 1. but very important work should have been allowed to stand over it is really difficult to understand. To visitors flu? present state of affairs cannot fail to give a very had impression as to how matters of this kind are managed in this town. But there is also evidence in other directions of neglect from a municipal standpoint. The way in which horses and cows, for example, are allowed to roam the suburbs really amounts to a positive danger. It is, of course, not the case merely in one locality. Should an accident happen some dark night the Borough authorities may probably awaken to the necessity for prompt and effectual repressive measures against this widespread evil. Quite apart from the big undertakings upon which the town is engaged it will, we think, be agreed that there are plenty of other matters which should receive full and immediate attention.