KERBSIDE PUMPS

Feilding Star, Volume 6, Issue 1353, 13 March 1928, Page 7

KERBSIDE PUMPS

(To tbo Editor) Sir,--Eeildiug residents were .just beginning to think that our present borough councillors were really a credit to the town. Not that they lmvc done anything startling in their time hut still, they have kept tilings going fairly well in a nice quiet way. But evidently they have been li tiding Council work a let- too monotonous lately, for at their last meeting some things that needed it. ( including Pv !"n ~r\ ■ and some things that did not need it received a general “sally up.’’

To cap the lot, a motion was passed rescinding all permits for kerbside pumps, to lat made jeliective by the 31st of March of next 3oar. Vet at the same meeting a permit was granted, f'oir another ikerbside .pump in E'eilding. it sounds as if our worthy City Lathers have got a hit mixed, and recalls to mind incidents of a few years ago, when it was rumoured that the Borough Council had been trying to make water run up hiJi and contributions like the following appeared in your paper:—

“Ob, we’ve a handsome rpadwav, it’s a credit to the town. They’re aiw.ays taking ol it up, and putting of it down.” Only our present councillors- have slightly ' reversed the order. 'I hey aro trying to. get private citizens putting of ‘cm up. and taking of ’em down; ta h-asL. the citizen who lias just received his permit for a- kerbside, pump will have to think about taking it down before he puts it up. I Go not know whether our councillors think that Eeildiug folk generally and the pump holders in paiticiihi.r waul to ho made, a laugh ing stock; hut just look at the reasons they put up. They are not worthy of tho name of reasons. Scroll si v speaking, they sound more ’ike the paltry excuses ol someone who has an axe In grind.

Reason one says tlmt there are Loi> many pumps in Feilding. Well, supposing there are, sueli a position is hound to right itself in! time, heeau.se lo pump holder "ill burden himselt long -with a. pump that does not bring him business, especially as in the ma_ : or:Ly of eases the pumps belong to ' ]h* oil companies. But to say that 'he oil eompanies would have to hand the whole expense of shilling 'hem is far from correct, because in tJu v majority of eases the holders would have to prnvhlo a suitable • dace to which to shift them. To some this would he impossible witbourt seriously i'Xt.e-rl er.i n,g w .th other lines of their business. Tn my o,\vn case it can he done, though at •onsiderhale expense, because two oi rile pumps are my own. Rut 'f a number of pump holders let theii numps go out, this move of the Cenneil’s would probably benefit me in. the long run; hut T certainly do not —and as fair as T can gather, none of the other pump holders do — want such an imnocesarv expense and disorganisation of business at pre-

.Reason two: The pumps arc unsightly. One would think that they were meant for ornamentation instead of for use and convenience.;, and supposing they were shifted from the kerbside, what difference would it make? Would not every pump holder see to it that his pumps were, as far as possible, in full view of the travelling public. No, the excuse is not worth cons deration. ■Reason three: Larger towns do nob Juivo kerbside pumps. Rut is that any reason why Feikling. citizens should be compelled to follow ‘'the path the calf made?” Or has the traffic in our town become so congested during file past .18 months that the kerbsde pump service lias become a.nf obstruction? No, and with our nice wide streets it is not likely <o become so for another' generation or two. Far more obstruction is caused in n certain portion of, Manchester St., where there are no kerbside pumps, and only for want ol a little system being enforced among pedestrians. No, this excuse, I’.ke the others, does not sound geniune; and as pump holders and citizens we are entitled' to something 1 better front our councillors than to bo put to such needless incouveirenee and expense, and made a joke of generally. I am etc., V. Cl. GUY-