SHALL WE SELL WAIPORI?

Evening Star, Issue 20129, 20 March 1929, Page 2

SHALL WE SELL WAIPORI ?

TO T!IK EDITOR. Si!-. 11l the ‘ Evening Mar ’ ol Saturday infill von 0.1 VC inncli pro-inini-ncc in 1.1 >i ~ fpieMion. uitli it~> ■'<- rompanying omphalic answer by cx- ( Vnim-ilior Marlon- —• “ No." 'I ho ratepayers of Dunedin will. howeversurely voiiu linin' limn such halt! opinions aput forward by ex-Conm-illor Marlow to guide them in coining to a, (le'ei'ion on '■neb an imjiortniit matter, ] v .t me as a ralepaver who has taken more Hum an average interest in Waioori. endeavour to enlighten the public, and ex-Councillor Marlow, on some aspects ol I bo bn.-mios, prefacing • n! v i-mnarks with the statomeiil that Ihe negotiations between the council ~ml the" Government have not got very V;,,- vet, and that, there is not the slmlilcst doubt about ihe city s intTroMs being fully safeguarded which ever way the proposal to purchase ami sell goes. ’! lire*points rcrpiire stressing ( 1 } Is i( possible to make an agrecnienc with the Governiheiit that will saloguard Dunedin's privilege in :iipori lor an indefinite period? Evidently ex(VmneiNor Marlow considers that it is not possible, ni- maybe ho considers that the Government cannot lie hound bv an agreement exactly the saiso as private linn. The same, opinion is being expressed freely by business men in discussing the proposal, and it would he interesting to got any Government's view on the point. To suggest that an agreement with a Government is nut binding on the latter is foolish. And the objection raised by ex('onncillor Marlow sounds strange, considering its source, for lie must know or ~t least ought to know —that the amount paid to the municipal department by any city trading department is iixed by the council, and could be increased, or reduced, at any time, depending on the ability of the depart-, ment concerned to bear (he burden. Tim basis of the proposed deal is that the Government should take over the

Waipori head works only, and relievo the E.P. and L. department ol debentuies amounting approximately to £550,000. The department, on the other hand, could practically not lose one penny of revenue, so that, taking hist year’s results as a basis, the same profit of nearly £24,000 would be shown, and bo it noted—on less than half the capital expenditure. 'lhat being so, why should the F.B. and Ldepartment's contribution to the cipal department bo reduced? Jt might possibly lie increased. The enquiries made and information received by ex-Councillor Marlow do not seem to have got him very far. Indeed, it looks like one more illustration of the blind leading the blind. .Finally, the reference to Esau is unfortunate, That gentleman is credited with having sold his birthright lor a “ mess of potage.” The Dunedin Corporation will not do this by any stretch of the imagination. The citizens will retain all the privileges of the Waipori birthright, and certain others of considerable value, such as those mentioned above, and at the same time they will be relieved of a few of their liabilities. The proposal is, without doubt, of vital interest to Dunedin and Otago people, and it. is desirable that Hie citizens should be possessed of full knowledge before they come to a decision of its merits or demerits. Ex-Conncillor Marlow must have little knowledge of the ramifications of the negotiations on such a large order as the sale ol Waipori when he oven suggests that it would be wrong for a moribund council to decide Mich a momentous question. Bo it would be wrong—that is, if the busine-s could lie pushed on so as to be finalised before the elections next May. There is no possibility ot that, however, and it will be the new council which will have to make the decision. Let the citizens approach ibis matter, when the full details are placed before them in due course, in a judicious spirit, and be guided, by whatever decisions they may come to. — 1. am, etc.. Sense, Nor Sentiment, .March W.