BOROUGH AMALGAMATION
(To the Editor.)
Sir,—l did not think at the time when writing previously that I would draw a reply from Mr. J. W. McEwan, a late Mayor of Petone, who can claim the unique distinction of having held that office continuously for twenty-one years, a record for New Zealand. It gives me a greater pleasure to reply, and thank your correspondent for his letter. In answer to his letter, I may say that I agree that some credit must be given to the management of the successful local body, firstly to the en-gineer-manager, and, secondly, to the board members. The board district comprises the whole of the Hutt Valley and its surrounding area. Under- these circumstances it is utterly impossible for parochial outlooks to be.given iany consideration. The Electric-Power and-Gas Boardsiare not a parallel. TheGas Board is composed of six elected members. Three from each borough, with a chairman appointed by the Gov-ernor-General, and therefore answerable to neither ratepayers nor electors. I hold nothing against our chairman personally, despite the fact that1 our opinions differ. May I suggest, your correspondent could enlighten us somewhat, as in the past the gas enterprise was under his control, as regards policy. Would it read like this: The Petone Borough Council owned a gas works. It could not manage it successfully, and married it to the Lower Hutt Borough with whom it has not lived hap-pily-ever after. Your correspondent was present at the wedding and gave the gas works away. And nobody was more pleased than father When he saw that his responsibilities had ceased.1 The incubus that has arrived since the nuptial' knot-tying ceremony is a youngster, Loan Indebtedness. Our present chairman thought a new patent food,-more loans, would cure its pains. But I thought the bairn would thrive better by the old-fashioned method. In-reply to Mr. J. W. McEwan in regard to success or non-success, the area served is the biggest factor, combined with management.—l am, etc, '"- - , ■ '' D. W. CAMPBELL.
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 32, 7 February 1935, Page 10
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330BOROUGH AMALGAMATION Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 32, 7 February 1935, Page 10
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