MR. HICKEY REPLIES TO MR. McKEOWN.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 7 September 1923, Page 8

MR. HICKEY REPLIES TO MR. McKEOWN.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —In your issue of the 4th inst. Mr. Arthur McKeown, of Pihama, endeavours to heave a brick at fhe Opunake Times for saying the following: "Very lew people reaiise the tremendous amount of work involved in the position of member of Parliament, and this work is continuous. To carry out the duties of such a position successfully a man requires ability and tact. The Egmont electorate is fortunate in having such a man as Mr. Hawken, who has worked exceptionally hard for his electorate during his term in Parliament. Whatever side one takes in politics, all must agree that he has done more ?or the Opunake district than any of his predecessors, and it would be fitting for the people here to place on. record their appreciation of his work." In penning the above I had no desire to detract one iota from the work done by previous members, many of whom undoubtedly worked hard for their electorate, but to anyone of ordinary intelligence it is evident that the clii'n in the above paragraph regarding Mr. Hawken's work for this district is well sustained. During his term in Parliament he has stood behind every progressive movement in his electorate, -and has worked with an energy not fully appreciated by the general pxiblie. | There! is no need to dwell on his work for this district. We know all about what the great Liberal Government did for the dairying industry, and in other directions, but what did it do for this district? It promised the railway, harbour, etc., but it failed to keep its promises. Mr. Hawken's party has, delivered the goods. This district has little to thank Sir Harry Atkinson for. With one strobe of the pen he made the land for miles around Opunake leasehold, a fact which has retarded progress. The Massey Government gave the pakeha, lessee the right to acquire the freehold (only with the native owner's consent), and as 'a result of many thousands of acres being converted to the freehold tenure, the district has gone ahead by leaps and bounds. During its administration, the Massey Government has stood four-square for the man on, the land, and its legislation has been clean and sound. ft also brought the business interests of the country to a condition of normality. There is much to ,be done yet for rural development, but the party to which Mr. Hawken belongs offers the best encouragement for the advancement of country interests. ' . Mr. McKeown's assertion that the1' Opunake Harbour Bill had no support from the Opunake Times means v nothing to the present writer, who, in taking over the paper on.September 5, 1919, did not take over its sins of omission or commission. Since that date the Opunake harbour has had its continued support, even so far as offering financial assistance. Your correspondent, when the board was in* dire need, was not there. To-day, however, we find him waiting on the Harbour Board asking to be paid for his work in assisting the promotion of the Harbour Bill. i Coming to Mr. McKeown's work in ' building local churches—well, all I desire to say is that he will never disgrace his generosity by having a poor idea of it. Blessed is he that skiteth not. i Making allowance for an elderly gentleman almost fanatical in his worship of "the great Liberal Party," I will pass over a good deal of his "hot air ' and deal with the closing part of his communication re the local hydroelectric scheme. His remarks, to say the least, are a clumsy attempt to be funny. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the dam or any other part '• of the scheme. There have been de- ' lays, but such have been chiefly caused ! by extra development work to meet the ! expected demand for current Those ' who know anything about the scheme are quite enthusiastic about it s future ' lour correspondent should come from i U}\ro^f ?oad and live the remainder - or his life m Opunake, where his vision ' might be broadened. He is evidently an 'old-timer" who hate.s progress and lives in, fear of a rate being-saddled on I mm. lam sorry he has promised not to reply for it is some time since I i had a "bite," even if the fish in this instance is only a herring. ( _ With advance thanks for space — j 1 am, etc., ' . I

T S HICKFY Opunake, September 5/1923.