CIVIC AFFAIRS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 15 June 1932, Page 3

CIVIC AFFAIRS

(To the Editor) Shy—-The 1 public of Nelson are not without humour. Your correspondent “A Payer* recently wrote that tiie Nelson public was the most apathetic he had ever associated with. But possibly lie was not a resident of Nelson when our Council decided to do away with llio swan in Queen’s Gardens. Plenty of interest then, and now we have Councillor Neale disturbing (lie lethargic state of the public with the suggestion of a tobacco factory at our unsavoury front door. Councillor Neale had heller ho careful what he stirs lip. Why an indignation meeting might he called to see what our Councillors intend doing to reduce our rates, our gas, and electric light and Council expenditure in general. It. is rather marvellous sir. Citizens work themselves into a fever heat over a swan and a factory but the price of bread and the question of municipal economy does not seem to matter. It does nol disturb them if our Mayor with his Labour leaning, suddenly blazons forth in the guise of a defender of that, most iniquitous measure, the Transport Act. No wonder lie fails to make a. move towards the reduction of the salary and wage lull of our Council administration. In good faith il has linen said that tlie Council cannot reduce the wages of its employees because it would affect the highest salaried ones. Goodness gracious. What is wrong with running the works of the Council with one Engineer and a few less supervisors. Ratepayers would probably he astonished at the progress made. The National Expenditure Adjustment Act has reduced rent and interest 28 per cent. This measure was intended to (ounteract salary and wai/e and income redm linns, It was never intended as a measure for the special benefit of iminicinal employees. It puts them on a special basis. Mr Mayor, at a recent meeting of the unemployed, stated he could nol reduce rates and find me for Urn unemployed. Well let him reduce the salary and wage bill of the Council and find £3OOO a year for I lie Let him at tempt something. >.ny are ratepayers not told about, the loans and the expense involved? Many local folks declined to support the loan renewal simply oij account of the hick ( of any effort on the part of Councillors Lo put their finances in order. It, is becoming apparent that tlie.ro is too much “gang control.” Strong indeed must he the blasts of common sense which can shift otficialdom particularly when il is comfortably entrenched behind ramparts which a compact and comnlacerit minority know so well how to throw up. But the. whole business is more than a joke. Isn’t there any other move ns ’ stunid its the Eire Board they can think of. to push more expense on to the community? Another fire engine might he suggested. The Government of this country interferes in most things and gets growled tit. but a movement from that body to force the. hands of the local Council would lie, we.l(omed with cheers. A little of the snirit which wiped Lang out in Australia is wlial is required in Nelson.—T am, etc., VERBUM SAT SAPIENT!. Nelson, 15lh June.