NO USE LOCKING THE DOOR AFTER THE HORSE IS STOLEN.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1201, 29 November 1882, Page 2

NO USE LOCKING THE DOOR AFTER THE HORSE IS STOLEN.

[To the Editor Inangahua Times.] | Sir.— lf appears to me as if our County Councillors were waiting unitel the town of Reefton be destroyed by fire before they make any provisions to prevent such a calamity. Should a fire occurr in any part of Broadway during snob diy and windy weather as we have ha 1 lately, the consequences would be too terrible to contemplate, and there is no denying the fact that the chances are in favour of sn *h a dread catastrophe. Any person who will inspect the chimneys, or rather the apologies substituted to serve as su-jh, would wonder how we have escaped so long. The Council called for competitive s themes for a supply some time a'jfo, but I am not aware whether there was any f ititber action taken in Ihe matter. Surely a matter of so vast importance as an efficient supply of water for tbe protection of life and property ought to be promptly taken in Kind by the Council and by the public, and carried out at once. One day. Yea, even one hour's delay, may prove fatal, and be the cause of more property being destroyed than would pay the cost of an efficient water supply ten times over, without taking into consideration the ruination and distress it would bring upon many. Then why not grapple j the thing at once ? and not dally over it : until probably we may have nothing left to protect. I am etc,, Observer. p. g. —Since writing the above I am informed that the Council applied to the Wealth of Nations Company for leave to take the water from their race, that is certainly a step in the right direction. But if the project is only to move step by step as the Council meetings take place, it will take twelve months before the preliminaries are arranged. I am also informed that some members of the Council set their face absolutely against all works, let them be ever so necessary or reproductive, unless the money is to the Council's credit in the bank. Such men as those are utterly incapable to represent any community, in this, the nineteenth century. They may be able to conduct their financial arrangement:* in a tin-pot private business, but their ileas are altogether too cramped for public financiers. In public matters they belong to the penny-wise, and the pound foolish fraternity, but I am glad to think that this class of men only represents one eighth part of our Council. I believe if the matter was promptly taken in hand in a spirited, business-like manner, there could be at least £300 collected in Broadway for a start, and surely we could borrow the rest on the security of our annual rateable properties Jp^ft few years. * Observer.