CORRESPONDENCE.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 1146, 10 February 1903, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

OTAMA BRIDGE. TO Till; KMTOB. Sir, —It seems that I havr, all unwittingly, given Mr Gavin Dickson the very opportunity he has been waiting for -the opportunity of advertising himself. I am very pleased to havo been of service to Mr Dickson. As be seems to have forgotten all about the Otama bridge, I feel sure he will not object to this little bit of information going before the public, as by-and-by he may hope to be as well known as the Otama bridge itself. Mr Dickson desires information as to " voluntary " or " compulsory " contribution towards works in the Knapdale road district. Well, regarding compulsory contribution, no doubt ho has in his mind's eye the bridging of that little boggy creok near bis own gate; but lam sure he would not like me to exalt th 6 virtues of neighbouring districts, *o the best thing Mr Dickson can do is to pay Mr Brett, the clerk of the Knapdale Road Board, a visit, and he will be supplied with the necessary information bearing on the subject of voluntary contribution. Afterwards he can set about collecting voluntary i contributions towards renovating the Otama bridge, and helping to save neighbouring lands from being washed away. If Mr Dickson will do this, then the public may believe him when he says, " I told bim in my last (letter) that the Otama farmers were only asking what they were entitled to." Until Mr Dickson or some other person takes up this side of the question, f&ir-minded people will be apt to conclude that what the Otama settlers " are entitled to" is a good sound snubbing from the powers that be. The* (the Otama settlers) have every up-to date convenience—beautiful situation, good roads, first clasß land (rated by the Southland . County at from 15s to 25s below its selling value) which the majority obtained at less | than half its real worth; and these are the t self sume settlers that are so anxious to their hands into the public purse to tbe of some 1 think, in such cases as that the County Council would be quite justified in levying a special rate if the settlers will consent to do nothing of their own motion. As 1 stated in a former letter, it would be quite a different thing, if tbe settlement was poor and the settlers themselves " struggles," for Government to assist, but such not being the case, it is clearly a case for either voluntary contribution or for the County Council to deal with. -I am, a-b., fUncmKß.