PUBLIC EXPENDITURE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 66, 17 March 1916, Page 7

PUBLIC EXPENDITURE.

(To tlic Editor.) Sir,-A few residents of Devonport complain of the expense of lighting Cheltenham Bench, which is a very email affair in comparison with the very real waste of public money elsewhere. Take, for instance, the Vincent Koad upheaval and disturbance, also Orakei Koad. According to the City Council's latest report, £828 has been spent on cutting down a few feet and repairinß the latt.-r road; and on Vincent Road £S1« wasted upon cutting down a few feet There have been many complaints from the. residents who have had to Buffer much discomfort for quite a long period, and they would have preferred to have the road left as it was before. Would not these sums have been spent with more wisdom in extending the tram line to Purewa or to St. John's College? Much steeper hills arc to be met with in the city than those operated on in Kemuera—in fact thay cannot be termed " lulls." Unfortunately we are, as a rule, so apathetic that we do not wako up to protest ajiainst mismanagement until too late; so leave the planning to the few in power who are expected to have " ideas." but who are. after all. only human and liable to make mistakes, and mijrht be <;lad of outside opinion occasionally. A motor bus runs to St. Helier's in a thick cloud of dust four times on ordinary days, but it is not of much use to the great number of people who have to visit the cemetery at Purcwa. as the driver cannot etop on hills, and this district is all hills after the tram terminus. A park is to be opened up near St. John's Lake, which will present! , }' be • ffreat attraction, so all will apree that it is about time to extend the tram line.— l am, etc.', PBO BOKO PUI3LICO.