LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 12332, 22 April 1938, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

BOROUGH MATTERS.

Sir,—-After reading the account of the last meeting of the borough council, recorded in the same issue of your paper as “Tin Lux's" letter, it must be apparent to any fair minded person that “Tin Lux's" exhortation to “sweep clean" the Council at the next elections correctly sums up wftat the remedy is.

It is hard to fathom the mentality of a councillor who calls up the Mayor at a council meeting (.mark ye!) to furnish a statement re tno Mayor’s Relief Fund, a matter over which the council has no jurisdiction. When advised by the Mayor that the said relief fund was controlled and administered by a committee of citizens he still persists in his rumblings until rightly ruled "out of order” by the Mayor. Your other correspondent “Veritas” should note this. (July councillors whose minds were warped by personal animosity would censure tne Mayor for lodging a personal objection to the Loans Board (through the town clerk) to the proposed raising of a loan. Those councillors who objected to. the Mayor exercising his right like any oilier ratepayer are too petty minded to represent ratepayers on the Council. “Veritas” should note this also.

I have not resided at Tauranga sufficiently long to take sides with or against the Mayor, but after reading the accounts in your paper of the various meetings of the Council it is quite apparent to me that the Council, as at present constituted, is animated by animosity to the Mayor and the majority of councillors lay themselves out to obstruct him at every turn. The programme enunciated by the Mayor at his recent meeting for development of the borough upon sane and cautious methods appears sound business and should meet with the approval of electors, and it is up to them to give him a chance at the next elections to put his programme into operation free from the hampering tactics of the present band of obstructionist councillors. The latest exhibition at the Council meeting, together with the indignity meted out, to the Mayor when the council elected the Deputy-Mayor to represent the Borough at the Municipal Conference, will not cause the present Mayor to lose any votes at the coming election, when voters no doubt will take the advice of “Tin Lu#’ and sweep clean the present misfits from our Council. “TIN TACKS.”

BOROUGH RUBBISH TINS. Sir, —I have noticed in some of the streets that I travel in, small kiddies standing and gloating over the rubbish tins ivith the lids off. Some of the tins smell very strong. Now I don’t want to be a Socrates and have to take a cup of hemlock. H. J. VICKERY. LACK OF GOOD TASTE Sir, Your correspondent “Outsider” in yesterday’s issue expresses the feelings of all fair-minded men present at Mr lies’ meeting. It was a contemptible breach of etiquette to use the occasion of an invitation from Mr lies to publicly attack him. To bring blind passion to bear on municipal affairs might qualify him for the old regime but it is to be devoutly wished that the new Council will consist of only men whose one aim is to serve the constituency, and leave all personal prejudices outside the Council Chamber. The town has suffered quite enough through the display of personal vindictiveness at the Council table and we want no more of it. What the public require now is definite proof by the two candidates as to who is responsible for the, past troubles in the Council, not through the medium of slander or propaganda, but from the public platform where any statements can be challenged and defended, if there is any defence. , It is to be sincerely wished that in the ensuing election the public will put aside all personal feelings of vindictiveness on the one hand, and sentiment on the other, and choose the man they consider to be best able to conduct the affairs of the Borough. “FAIR PLAY.”