TOWN RATES.

Evening Star, Issue 5608, 28 February 1881, Page 4

TOWN RATES.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,—When the promoters of Dunedin took It Into their heads to establish it as the capital of Oago they hid a>ide eo many sections, »o that at £Ome future time tht>Be section* would raise enough rent to pay for all the working expenses of civic management. It would appear that they were right, as the revenue from these sections is now something enormous. To supplement that revenue the Corporation h*ve se-cured the water and gaa supply, which also brings in a l»rg« revenue. But all this will no-; do, a? Duaedin has been a go id milch cow, and tho Mayor aad Council have determined on waiting the milk. la tho firat place they pay twice the working expanses th<iy ought to do, aa they get all tho offices rilled with as good men at one-half the ruon«y now paid in salaries, There are plenty »f quill-drivers in the plaov-. Iq the second place, the Town Clerk to bo a lawyer, with a salary of LI,OOO a-yo&r. Tain there would be nonead for tho Covpora* tion employing a firm of aoliciiora to lock after their legal business. See the c»ae of Alvw v. ths Corporation, v/hich o&t the City L7OO for their lawyer alone, whilst tho whole ca»e cosS about L 4 000, v/hich possibly it nev»y would h:-va done had the Town Clerk been a lawyer the earn a ay in ail large towns in SookUad. The Mayor and tho councillors hava been elected solely f >r tho purpose of effecting retrenchment. I Bhould like to know what they have done iD that direction, unless It be to propose raising the rates 3i in the £. One of the councillors is making bimealf very busy in interfering wish th« tramway to Rwlyn, but I think if he would attend more to his proper business, which ii the Interest of the City ratepayer*, it would be more in conformity with what he was eleoted for.—l am, etc.,

John Graham

Dunedin, February 28.