CIVIC AFFAIRS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 19 September 1936, Page 3

CIVIC AFFAIRS

(To The Editor) Sir, —I notice with a measure of alarm that the City Fathers propose to add yet another department to their already numerous trading concerns Real and Estate Agents and . When the Government -of this God’s-Own Country take over the nationalisation of production, distribution and exchange they will. (.City. Fathers) have the satisfaction of . saying they did their best to encourage the experiment., Mr Editor for the life, of me,’ can I see the necessity evcfii. in the next fifty years to look- ■ for more, accommodation for our experts, v the very word makes me sick. I have heard it repeated so often in this fair land of ours, it is not civil and mechanical engineers, architects, solicitors, and bankers, but ordinary commonsense that is most desirable in all communities to advance civilisation and to give the. greatest good to the greatest number. Far too much back-scratching lias gone on in this country to allow the greatest progress ; in fact, one of the reasons why Nelson has not advanced with the rest of. New Zealand, wo can’t speak our mind lest we offend someone, especially officials, who are after all only paid servants of the public. To get back to the subject of niy letter, surely, Mr Editor, there .are many works of much more importance to the general ratepayer of Nelson than buying vacant sections. Other towns and cities. I notice, concentrate on keeping the business area compact. • In Wellington today the Government is busy building an eight-storey monument of iron and concrete, mostly iron, with, I should say. excess premiums they have collected from tlieir clients. City Fathers, I say keep our city compact—less wear and tear on roads and less scattered sewerage, as you,. Mr Editor, called it when setting my last letter. \ I used another name, hut a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Raining again

this morning. Possibly another repetition of the nuisance down at the bottom of Hardy street and Waimea street. Why the delay? We have been long and patient sufferers down here. • A loan -was carried some ten years ago to do the work, and not a shovelful of useful earth shifted. Mr Editor, surely the. City Fathers know' there are limits to-all our endurance. If the present Council does not. act I' have in view enough residents in this locality for the next election to put .this work .in hand without delay, and they Will see to it that it is done whether officials sViv it is impossible or not. We know the mudflat is being reclaimed some three feet higher than it should he, but If the powers that be -will make more- hills In New Zealand, let us make provision to let the water away from our front doors. Many of the buildings or sections at least have had rates paid on them since ’42. and surely it is asking too much to erect on piles in the centre of the city because we don’t scatter out the reclamation on the mudflat more. > I appeal to you, Mr Editor, to concentrate on this issue, and again thank you for your valuable space.—l am, etc.,

JAMES WYLLIE Nelson, 17th September, 1936.