Chatham Islands

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29237, 22 June 1960, Page 11

Chatham Islands

Sir,—Your correspondent fit. W. Marshall should know that even though there is yet much to do in the Chathams the present Government has done a great deal more than any other Government For instance, but tor the present Government’s subsidising the shipping service there would either nave been no shipping service at all for Mr Marshall would have had to pay £2500 for his cattle and wool instead of £2OOO. There is not much market for old ewes either in the Chatham Islands or here and I would think that if Mr Marshall would skin his sheep instead of dumping them he could do quite nicely. To my mind the solving of the Chathams problem, or any other for that matter, depends more on what we are prepared to do for ourselves rather than on begging someone else to do it for us.— Yours, etc.

KAIRAKAU PETE. June 20, 1900.

Sir,—l think your correspondent H. W. Marshall most unfair. No-one has worked harder for the Chatham Islands than the present member, Mr N. E. Kirk, or to better effect. Only a few days ago I read that, following a plea for greater reading assistance for the Chathams by Mr Kirk, another £5OOO was granted for this purpose. Last year he managed to persuade the Government to subsidise the shipping service. Also, there was a school room for the Pitt Islanders and many other things that Mr Kirk has achieved which have been reported in the papers. I am sure be is doing his best to get things on a proper footing at the Chathams and that the Government will back him.— Yours, etc, , OBSERVER. June 20, 1900.