SEWERAGE SCHEME.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XL, Issue 9199, 9 January 1920, Page 6

SEWERAGE SCHEME.

(To the Editor, "Guardian.")

Sir, —I -have read your loading article of yesterday on the above subject,, and also the Mayor's remarks to your representative with reference to the non-publication of the engineer's re-

port; but I do not find in either any valid reason given for such non-publi-cation. The fact that the;- Borough Council has- not yet been able to arrange for a, loan from* the State Advances ■ Office, is certainly not a valid, reason. The sewerage scheme is onething; the raising of .a. Joan to carry itout another. The scheme may be exceltent in itself., and' yet far beyond the mean» of the Borough to carry into effect; on the other hand, the scheme, even although framed by an expert- engineer, may be unsuitable to our requirements, and! therefore to be rejected.. The -ratepayers do. not yet know precisely what the. scheme 'is;, hence, the demand for Mr Williams's report;. The offer, to let ■ them peruse it. at- the. Borough Council diving office hours is surely not seriously meant. Seven or eight hundred ratepayers 1 cannot go. to. the Council's' office to peruse and study''the report t-here.., If the, report, is to be published; at all, why not. publish it now? What is to be gained', by delaying its publisation ? The. ratepayers want time to fully, consider it.. The brief extract of its contents which appeared in the "Guardian! 1 of.-the'.-23rd1 September last..giv«s ■ a very imperfect idea of the scheme. ytt& want to know the details, and the ratepayers have a. light to. know them. It, is not an act of grace on the. part of the Council to supply this information.

I hope that some councillor will, perform, his duty to his constituents,., and move at.; tho.'next meeting of the Council that. thefull text.of Mr Williams's report be printed.' and circulated .amongst the ratepayers immediately. This will, not prevent the Council: from going, on. with its negotiations, with the State Advances Office, and it. will be able. to. inform the ratepayers of-the result at its leisure.

I fancy that your suggestion that no intelligent person can conscientiously oppose the proposed sewerage scheme is not" likely to deter tha ratepayers from either criticising the scheme,, when they have learned: wliat it is,, or irom voting against the loan if thay thank it desirable to do, so. But does it not strike you as being just, possible that the lack of intelligence may be on the part of tJae supporous oi the scheme? Many foolish projects, have, before now, found, enthusiastic: and conscientious advocates. I do not, however, wish to, engage in tho exchange of dubious compliments; what 1 do aik for, on behalf of myself and my lollqw ratepayers, is the immediate publication of Mr Williams's roport_

CHAS. W. PDRKELL