CORRESPONDENCE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 19 June 1928, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE.

BY-LAWS IN BURLESQUE—OR BLUFF? (To the Editor.) Sir, —It is not at all customary to associate humour and by-laws; on the contrary, these invariably comprise a serious subject —in Hawera in the past, extremely serious. When, therefore, a contradiction arises to that commonlyheld theory, surely it is “something to Avrite about,” and 1 haye an instance, the history of which is this. V kite having a motor-shed erected 1 Avas infoimed by the Mayor in his prreate capacity that the council Avould probably require a “permanent” footpath, and certainly a culvert, laid in front or it, that opinion being confirmed by the borough inspector on vieAving the site—which one would class as unimpeachable authority. In consequence I applied on January 9 at the borough, chambers to have the AA’ork done. As time passed and nothing new appeared ■on the landscape in that locality, and the town cleric declined to reply to correspondence on the subject, I wrote to the Mayor on March 24 asking either that the Avork be proceeded with or that I be notified the subject was closed. At this point the mystery deepened, as Mr. Paeey did not even acknoAvledge receipt of the letter. The interesting position therefore exists: The council granted a permit for the erection of the shed, but (theoretically) precludes me from using it; the council lias decreed that the above-mentioned work must be done, and the town clerk has decided, seemingly, that it will not be done, while the borough inspector informed me some time ago that if it were not done he AA’ould be compelled to prosecute me lor a breach of the bylaws. Meanwhile I, like MicaAvber, am on the Avaiting list. Does it not seem that the Gilkertian task is completed, and only requires the touch of a Sullivan to make the comedy presentable? However, it may be that one of your readers can tell me Avliether a by-laA\’ covering the matter really exists, and, if so, what period of time is presumed to elapse 'between acts 1 and 2—that is bet-Aveen application and completion. Six months is, of course, a comparatively’ short period in the AA’orld’s history’. but if, as we often hear, ‘‘it- is the' pace that kills,” no inquest need be entailed through this job.—l am, etc., J. SWANSON.

POLITICAL AFFAIRS IN EGMONT

(To the Editor.) Sir, —In common with other electors ofgKginoiit, I have been Avatching Avith interest the manoeuvres of the rival aspirants lor the Liberal-Nation/alist-Uniited candidature. As an uncompromising opponent of the Government, I can claim, like Mr Wilkinson, to be “in /sympathy Aiitli the main objective' ’ of those who gathered at Eltbam on Monday last. Bike them “I desire to see the present member lose his seat.” Like them I also desire a change of Government, hub the change must be a real one ancl not merely a change from IVeedledium, to Tweediledee. Every elector (and most /intelligent school children) know that the only real hope of a change of Government lies in the progress of the Labour Party. However, it is unlikely that Ave electors of Egmont AA’ill have a chance of casting out votes on a live political issue, such as Labour versus Reform. The most we can hope for is a repetition of the old sham fight of Liberal (alias National, alias United) versus Reform. A real political contest on matters of principle (being out of the question, AVthy should A\-e not have the loest dog-fight possible under the circumstances? I therefore urge Mr Green not to alloAV himself to he thrust aside (and it will amount to nothing less) even if Mr Wilkinson stands. Mr Green Iras a ten times stronger claim tnan Mr Wilkinson to the doubtful honour of carrying the tattered banner of Liberalism at the coining poll. After all, Mr Green faced the guns last time and there is no doubt lie would do better this time. We must remember that tine last occasion, Avhen Mi" G reen came forth to do battle with Reform, Avas hut a few brief months alter his party had been, metaphorically speaking, breaking its neck for. a fusion with Reform. Under these circu/m,stances* he attempted a herculean task in trying to bluff the electors that Liberalism. Avas some tiling different from Reform. This time Ms task will be much easier. Not that the Liberals hav’e changed or are less anxious to cio-operat© AA’ith Reform, but after all three- years have elapsed and the public memory is short. To-day it would be possible for Mir Green to come out as a lifelong and uncompromising enemy of Reform AV'ithout one iter cent, of the electors recalling any detail of the fusion fiasco. Then, too, there is the Irish vote —a. very strong'factor in Egmont electorate at aIL times. .Mr Green has a strong pull here. His name alone must be Avioirth hundreds, of votes, apart from the .fact that this element has ahvay/s been the backbone of Liberalism in Egmont. One could name dozens of stalwart Liberals whose allegiance to the party dates right black to the. days of Seddon, and one can no more imagine these diehards voting for an erstAvhile Tory like Mr "Wilkinson than one can imagine Mr Green himself foresaking the old party in favour, of the nominee of a small coterie of his more shifty supporters. 1 am, etc., — ' M LETTUM ALLOUM.