CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 87, 1 July 1881, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

[Wo are not responsible for the statements or opinions of correspondents.] TO THE EDITOP OF THE 3IANAWATU HERALD t Sir, — Will you please publish the follow* ' . ing letter in explanation. I notice in a paragraph in your issue of the 21st inst. that you state the SandenCarnarvon Highway Board have been particularly unfortunate in collecting arrears of rates, — which statement, as I hava been the Collector, 1 beg to differ from. The true facts of the case are these. When the Sandon-Carnarvon Highway Boatd took over the deb*s from the old Manawatu Highway Board there were arrears of rates amounting to £650, of which sum I have collected without any difficulty about £500. A great part of the balance between the £500 and £650 is owing by absentees. Relative to the £50 of rates, which you state I said at the Highway Board meeting that 4*30 had gone in expenses, is a misconstruction of my meaning. What I said was that I had only received £19 0s 6d and that the balance had been expended in taking out fresh summonses, which is a very different thing to saying it would be a total loss to this Board. With regard to the summonses issued against H. Symons and Robinson, which cases were lost in the R. M Court at Bulls, it was no fault of mine, as the names had been supplied to me from the old Board. As regards Mr W. Simpson's case, the amount will not be disputed, but will be refunded to the Foxton Highway Board, at the next meeting of this Board. Now, sir, a3 these are a statement of facts of the case, I think you will agree with me, that instead of this Board being unfortunate, they have been particularly fortunate in the collection of arrears of rates, and when the amounts are realised from the fresh summonses taken our, the SandonCarnarvon Highway Boards will have no occasion to look aghast. I am, &c, C. H. Tomlinson, Collector of arrears of rates. Sandon, 2/th June, 1881. [The tone of Mr Tomlinson'a letter is much more cheerful than his remarks were at the last meeting of the Board. We showed that in the two cases mentioned by us £11 4^ had gone in Court expenses, and shall wait with interest to see if this is called "taking out fresh summonses." We give Mr Tomlinson credit for his success in collecting the arrears, but may remind him that at last meeting of the Board there was a general feeling that the state of the rate collection was anything but satisfactory, though we are boand to say we think the Board made a mistake in authorising both .Mr W. N. Ward and Mr Tomlinson to Bue for arrears. Had that matter been left entirely in Mr Tomlinspn's hands, it would probably have been better for tße Board, if we are to judge by results. — Ed. M. Herald.] '