“EN AVANT,” OTAGO.

Evening Star, Issue 16628, 10 January 1918, Page 6

“EN AVANT,” OTAGO.

TO THE iiDITOR. Sir, —Your most interesting contribution on the above subject is very appropriate, and one to which the people of Otago should give serious reflection. We are going back. Oh, if we are not going back, we are,certainly not developing like our- Northern cities. Why is it? I ’often wonder why it is that poor old Dunedin is always last where expansion and improvements are concerned. 'Who is to blame? -Municipally our City Fathers are tile chief culprits. They never consider expansion or improvement, but are quite content to let the atfairs of the City jog along in the same old rut. Take one of our most valuable assets to the City—St. Clair an'd the Ocean Beach. Certainly things have improved to a certain extent this season, but the public, who patronise the beach in hundreds these days, arc very poorly catered for. On a flue bunday morning, after a strenuous week’s work* one likes to take a morning dip in the -briny, but unless he resides at St. Clair, or has the means of conveyance, he has to forgo this, simply because the corporation won't run the trams out on Sunday morning. What a boon a few trams would be to St. Clarion Sunday morning! But enough of St. Clair, for the City Corporation have installed four gas rings for our use,-so we must be thankful for small mercies, and wait until they- .are again in a liberal frame of mind and give us a few more, improvements. ibis is only one instance, but it all means and leads up to improvement and progressive uess. Then the way the Government treat us. Assuredly something is wrong with our representatives. Would Wellington or Auckland put up with having then- Chief I’ost Office closed up ami temporary premises found m a secondary street? No, they would not. But our 'representatives are quite content just to let it continue to be an eyesore to the chief block of the City. The Government make the excuse that they have no money to spend on public works; hut in the 'Kstimat.es, if I am not mistaken, were votes for a muuher of public works, and why not let us demand that they do something with our Post Office? It we are not very careful wo will find our southern brother. 'lnvercargill, looming above us in the near future, and Dunedin taking a back number. Where are all our go-ahead citizens, ami what are they thinking about? Certa-inlv not the future. But it troubles them not, for they have full and plenty. It is the younger generation that need to heed the warning, and not let the northern towns grab all our industries, our shipping, and even our people. Po keep our place with the northerners we will certainly need a more progressive and lively policy than we have at present? Sc do, then, let us advertise ourselves and-keep abreast, or at leaston an equal footing, with other towns, for certainly, if wo don't, in fire or ten years’ time Dunedin will he a back number commercially.—l am, etc., K.U.IJ. January 10.