CORRESPONDENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 1751, 27 July 1866, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE RATES AGAIN. A FEW PERTINENT QUESTIONS. TO TUB EDITOR OP THE LYTTELTON TIMES. Sir,—l beg to enclose one of the City Council's receipts for rates. You will observe that independently of the "General Rate," a "Drainage Rate" is charged, amounting to 50 per cent, of the general rate. lam a poor man and can't afford to pay for legal advice, and I don't know Mr. Wynn Williams, the champion of the ratepayers, personally. Might I ask that gentleman through your columns still further to increase the obligation which the ratepayers are under to to him for his benevolent advocacy of their interests, by giving an opinion on the following points : 1. As the City Council has decided not to drain, can those ratepayers who have paid their drainage rates recover the same from the Council at law ? 2. As the drainage rates were clearly intended to pay for the pipes, could an injunction be obtained to prevent the Council selling the pipes ? 3 If the Council disappropriate the drainage rate, are tli»y liable to indictment for obtaining money under false pretences, and if so, who are the proper parties to indict; is it the Chairman, the Collector, the whole Council, or the Solicitor under whose advice the Council acts ? I am, sir, Your obedient servant, THREE-PENNY DRAINAGE RATE. THE FIRST PANAMA MAIL. TO THE EDITOR. OP THE LTTTELTON TIMES' Sib,—The arrival of the Rakaia at Wellington solves the great Panama route problem. Such an important event for New Zealand will, doubtless, be duly celebrated in Canterbury by some public demonstration on an early day, to be named by the Provincial Government, on which occasion we shall regret the absence of Mr. Crosbie Ward —all honour to him. Your obedient servant, AN AMERICAN.