REPLY TO "A RATEPAYER."

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXI, Issue 311, 21 October 1887, Page 2

REPLY TO "A RATEPAYER."

To the Editor ov the " Evenino Maii,."

olit, -Ihcsitatodasto whether I should reply to the dastardly communication of a fellow whoso namo aud address you havo 1 rend that thia loathsome type of auimal" viz, the " skunk," disseminates ita odour' and fcooro may be a •• We " with him. One' of the penalties to bo paid for being a Councillor is the obligation to have to write denials to such, otherwise, if uncontradicted the public may think there is a shade of truth m it. Now, I give an unqualiiied denial to his baee insinuations. I haye no knowledge of who fcho competitors are, nor have I any interest, other than the interest, thab the citizens have in common, vip, that of getting a suitable scheme 5 thia question is entirely misunderstood, it is not who shall be paid tbe premium, bub is any of the plans sufficiently good and suitable for

tho oity. If any one of them is, then by all means adopt it and oarry it out as circumstances will permit. If none of them are suitable, and I hold that the seleoted one is unsuitable to such a degree that the acceptance of it would be nothing short of a disaster, and in this I am supported by one of the very best looal authorities, Now so thoroughly believing in that, I shall, as I ought, use all the forms of ihe Counoil to prevent its adoption. Tbe only course I see is to do what has been frequently done before, viz., call for fresh plans. The idea of not paying the premium has never entered my head ; the Council is bound to pay it, but they are equally bound not to throw the ratepayers' money away on a scheme that never cau, and never will be, carried out, and I am really astonished at the supine manner in which the matter is treated by those who ought to take an active part in trying to get suoh a scheme as will do credit to the city. Now, here is one of the results. Had the Council, instead of shifting the responsibility of choice toa stranger (and a fine mess we have been led into by the Mayor's method of conducting the preliminary arrangements) sat down to the plans with Mr Hay, it would have been seen that none of them would do, and his report would have been in accordance, and fresh plans would have been called for. and no doubt from the precise instructions that would then, have been given a proper plan would have been obtained, and the premiums have been paid, and it is not too late now to take such a course. To my mind there is a far better local authority here than Mr Hay. Now please understand that I have not spoken to him, nor seen, or communicated with him in any way on the matter. I feel called upon to make this statement, as the skunk above referred to may say I am to get paid for my advocacy, or some other libel; Truly it is a nice thing to be a Councillor. I am, &c, William Akersten. To the Editor op the " Evening Mail." Sib, — " Audi Alteram Partem " should verify before he makes statements or tries to fix the odium of turncoat upon his neighbor. I know, I believe, the writer by his style, and quite agree that he in a different degree and manner has, jointly with Sir J. Hall, been benefited by the Public Works policy If he had appended his name his disinterestedness would probably have been very plainly seen. I challenge him to produce any statement spoken or written by me that would identify me as a follower of Sir Julius Vogel and his Public Works policy or an opponent of Sir R. Stout. I challenge him to produce any statement I have made upon commerce that does not accord with the text books of Freetrade, Adam Smith, or J. Stuart Mill. Till he produces them or corrects his reckless statements his arguments in the style of " see this great Babylon I have built " will not be noticed by me. — I am, &o„

J. Piper,