CORRESPONDENCE. WHY IS IT?

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7400, 28 February 1902, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE. WHY IS IT?

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, — It seems somewhat peculiar, to say the least of it, that the once hotly argued debates as to the advisability or otherwise of continuing the present system of dual control in the Waimate road district have lately, apparently, failed to take the prominent position among questions of local interest which they were wont to do. At one time special public meetings were convened, and able debaters on either side fought ' out the issue in a manner that must have been highly interesting to their fellow ratepayers, to judge by the numerous audiences which gathered to listen, to the arguments, and, what is more, give patient and intelligent attention to what the speakers had to say. Now, however, that the district may be safely reckoned at less than a third of its former dimensions, and the area, together with the revenue, seems inclined to become beautifully less as the years roll by, the expenditure in salaries and contingent expenses in connection with the outside and office work have certainly not shrunk in unison therewith ; in fact, as far as the ordinary ratepayer is able to discover, have rather increased in bulk than otherwise. What is the solution of the puzzle ? Are the people enclosed within the smaller area of a more contented and easygoing temperament than was the case in days of old ? or have they grown sick of the whole question, and tacitly agreed to " chuck it up " ? It does seem a bit cruel that our little district (our "exceedingly " small district), which so readily furnishes its full contingent of eager delegates to assist that august body the Farmers' Union to hunt ragwort, and diligently suppress the growth of every live thing not directly dependent on cow milk for existence, cannot persuade a few of our limited supply of able men to give some attention to the heavy indirect taxation at home instead of wandering to fields afar in search of adventure. — I am, etc., Plain Settler. February 26th, 1902.