AMALGAMATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 174, 3 August 1901, Page 3

AMALGAMATION.

(To the Editor of the Times.) Sir, —I was much astonished on reading the Times of Tuesday morning to note the stand taken by the Chairman of the Whataupoko Road Board in regard to amalgamation. It is perhaps a matter of taste whether or not the Chairman tries to sit evenly on the rail. It is not always a comfortable position, and to my mind it is better that a man at the head of affairs should show the courage of his opinions by taking one side or the other. The man who holds a leading position and yet straddles the rail usually gets shied at from both sides, and I want to have a little shy at him now —easy to begin with. He sets forth some most selfish arguments from a monetary point of view. If they join the borough there would, he says, be the bridges, charitable aid, abattoirs, etc., to pay for. Now, I am astonished that the chairman, of all people, should try to set up differences in this way, and to smite the parent borough that has nurtured the growing suburb. Year after year the borough is, at the cost of the back roads, allowing Whataupoko the free use of its nightsoil depot and of its rubbish depot, which have to be maintained at some expense to the borough taxpayers. The borough is just now spending a large sum in putting the Waikauae (Grey-street) road in order. llow much of this should rightly be borne by the Whataupoko, the

residents of which are daily having shingle, etc., carted for their suburban homes ? I am not raising the unsavory question as to the night cart being allowed to go through the borough and also cutting up its roads. As to the bridges, if they carried away to-morrow whose property would be most affected, the holders of suburban homes or borough ratepayers We hear a good deal of grumbling when the bridges have to be opened for a few minutes. Mr Matthews carefully omits reference to the advantages obtainable from the borough plant, such as lire prevention appliances, tarring, metal crusher, engine, etc., also f the privilege of using borough property, r to say nothing of the recreation ground, i domains, etc. Wouldn’t there bo a howl : if the Fire Brigade, in ease of lire, refused to go across the Whataupoko bridge'? Whataupoko has not put itself to the expense of getting a domain of any kind ; the people know that there are the borough reserves to avail themselves of, and if a resident of the Whataupoko has the misfortune to die, his bones will bo laid to rest in the new borough cemetery. Mr . Matthews quotes the secretary of the Harbor Board as saying that there will be a double harbor rate. Let Mr Witty put his name to such a statement, and we will deal with him then. It would be better if the secretary applied his energy to getting the County Council to repair the hog on the footpath in front of his (Mr Witty’s) residence ; at present, ladies have to thank that gentleman for allowing the use of his fence to climb along.

I am sorry that Mr Matthews Should go out of his way to raise selfish points. He will find that if the profit and loss account has to be gone into in that way, the suburbs will have a big bill to meet for the past, and an awkward time in the future. Bettor let sleeping dogs lie.—l am, etc., Frank Harris.