MuNicu'AL Thadin*;. ;193 



trading operations tlic woik will 1h^ so lai'gely increased that it will I)c 

 impossible to ijet competent men at all, and if for iio other reason 

 municipal trading should he discouraged as unich as possible. 



In conclusion, I am fully aware that this is a very sketchy treat- 

 nient of a very importjint subject, but th<* paper is written to direct 

 attention to an iniportant matter of our daily life, and to get if pos- 

 sible some interest shown in municijjal aifairs. 'I'he whole temiency in 

 South Africa is for nnmicipalities to borrow, though they have already 

 Iwrrowed Urn nnich, and to borrow largely for trading purposes, i.e. 

 water, electric light, tramways and s<j forth. 



Those who agi-ee with the large class of people who believe in 

 numicipal trading will doubtless sympatliise with the tendency ; those 

 who agree with Sir Henry Fowler in moderate municipal trading will 

 approve of public water and public; light being in the hands of tlie 

 municipalities ; but those who agree with Lord Avebury that it is the 

 duty of a nninicipality to govern and not to trade, to look after tlie 

 interests of the public, and to see the public protected, will agree with 

 my own view of the matter, which is that the municipality should only 

 engage in even such important trading as the water supply of the town 

 if it cainiot be done by piivate enterprise. As in London the water is 

 supplied by companies and the County Council keep the companies up 

 to the mark, so it is much bettt>i' that water should always be supplied 

 where possible by companies, anfl the go\ei'ning body see that the 

 companies carry out their obligations to the ratepayers ; and the time 

 that may be spent by those whole-heartefl citizens who give their 

 valuable services to municipal work would be very considerably reduced, 

 and the councils nuich more likely to get the best men in the towns, if 

 they govern only and do not trade. 



It is impossible to close the paper without a warning iKjte that the 

 municipalities in South Africa have already borrowed more than they 

 sliould ha\e done, especially as it is generally admitted that fjiiglish 

 municipalities have over-borrowed ; yet, as already stated, their average 

 debt ct)mpares very favourably witli the Cape colonial municipal in- 

 debtedness per head of the population, and the time has come to take 

 steps to stop further municipal borrowi)ig for the purposes of )nunicipal 

 trading. 



