OPEN COLUMN.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11809, 2 April 1901, Page 3

OPEN COLUMN.

The editor does not hold himself responsible foi opinions expressed by correspondents.

• ( BELL TEAPS. i Sib,—Two highly respected residents were haled before the 3.51. Court to-day and fined for tailing to comply with the most arbitrary order that any municipal - body has over brought into effect. These , citizens, like hundreds of others, have the bell trap system of drainage on their premises. This creates no nuisance, and, according to expert sanitary advice, is just as efficient as any system that the Napier Corporation by order of its overseer demands peremptorily shall bo put in. The bell trap system has given satisfaction, and is still giving satisfaction, and yet it is a huge crime tor citizens not to adopt the latest fad and pnt in a now system. Now, what I want to know is this; Supposing wo all abolish bell traps, what security of tenure have we in regard to the new system that the Council has adopted? Mr Waterworth may advise the Council to-morrow that the new system should give way to some other system, and so on, putting the ratepayers to a lot of unnecessary expenses, and making them pay for experiments the beneficial results of which are extremely doubtful. I say that it is a crying shame that any citizen should be publicly prosecuted because be has failed to alter his bell trap system, the Council itself is not so ready to accept recommendations for reform, for, sir, you wilt remember that when you suggested the Council should look to its own drainage system, and that there mightpossibly be a contamination of sewer gas with the water mains, it waxed indignant, and then, after much fuss, admitted practically that what you advocated was indeed a very proper thing. Now, about this bell-trap. Is the Council certain that it is on the right track in prosecuting citizens. An expert might say that the bell-trap is all right and the new system all wrong, and, further, what expert advice is the Council noting on in enforcing the now system ? None whatever, but simply amateur sanitary advice. There is too much amateur business about the important works that tho Council does at the expense of the ratepayers, and tho sooner the burgesses ate assured that alterations are made on the strength of an expert’s recommendation, the more confidence will the people have in tho Council. It is to be hoped that the municipal elections this month will bring about a much desired change by getting rid of the old school and putting in some fresh 'blood. —1 am, &o, Burgess, April 1,1901. I

NAPIEE-WAIROA COAST EOAD. Sib,—Will yon kindly give me space in your valuable paper to ask that august body, the Wairoa County Council, why that portion of the above road between Tiwhanui and Tongoio is allowed to be in its present disgraceful state ? The oldest settler docs not remember over seeing it in such a shamefully neglected condition. Surely, sir, in justice to the ratepayers at this end of the county and the travelling public (who are not a few) something ought to be done by way of keeping it in docent order, if only the water-tables were attended to, instead of being choked and broken as they are. At present all the surface water is permitted to run down the centre of the road at its own sweet will. When representatives of the Council are spoken to about the matter, they say, "Oh, there is a maintenance man somewhere,” But where? Ask of the wind!

To my knowledge, tor the best part of two months, this maintenance man has been pottering in the Tongoio valley, catting and grubbing blackberry bashes, simply “ putting in time." Now he has gone to the other extreme end—Tiwhanui —where the road is comparatively good. Unless something ie done to the Arapawanui hill, and very shortly, I shall have to put the station men on to make it passable for onr pack horses. Thanking you in anticipation.—l am, &0., Annus M'Kinnon, March 24tb, 1901. NEW' ZEALAND RAILWAYS. Sib, —May I ask if it is the usual custom ol the railway officials iu this country to disregard any complaint made in writing to them ? On February 2nd last, I wrote to the Traffic Manager at Napier, as iollows " I was a passenger by the 2 p.tn. train from Napier to Te Auto, on Wednesday 30tb, but as I intended to stop at Hastings I inquired at Napier whether I must take two tickets or if the one ticket would do, and was informed that it would, but the fare would be just the same as if I took the two. On travelling by the same train on Friday Ist, from Hastings, my ticket was refused by the guard, apd 2s 6d was demanded. It seems to me that this is hardly just treatment when all that a stranger to the colony can do is to make the inquiries which 1 made at Napier, and trust to heap from you that a mistake has been made." To this I received no reply, which one would have thought one was entitled to, oven as a matter of courtesy. At all events such would have been the ease in every country in the world that I have travelled in, and they are many. By publishing this in your valuable paper it will serve as a warning to other travellers as to the treatment they may expect from the New Zealand railway officials.—l am, io,, Chao. Ascott Watson. Wellington, March 29th, 1901,