RICHMOND WATER SUPPLY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 9 May 1939, Page 7

RICHMOND WATER SUPPLY

I To The Editor] ] ; Sir. Regarding the water loan proposals which were recently before the ratepayers. Mr Heslop, as president of the Stoke-Richmond branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. has! questioned the matter of holding the j ratepayers' meeting close to the polling day and also asked per medium of .your columns what implication is to be ; made of my remarks at that meeting, j "That the issue was for the ratepayers to decide and it was npt for .the Council or for the Farmers’ Union' or any other body to dictate what sjho.uld' be done ” Now. the Council was very desirous that all the facts in connection with the proposals should be thoroughly understood by the ratepayers. A report setting out the proposals in I detail arid the'amount of rate and the method of raising the rate, in fact. ail ( the salient facls of .the case, was publi.shcd ifl "The Mail” of 17th April. A - t.hp.bgh ip P.Ot .now mgpdatory to hold a ratepayers’ meeting jp connection with a loan proposal, the Council thought if advisable to hold such a meeting, and considered that it would be best to hold it some little lime after the" published statement. This would alloy.' the matter to be thoroughly examined and discussed by the different ratepayers. It wg? hoped that interest would be stimulated, and it gave everyone ample opportunity" to study the question and be more ready with any questions on the night of'(he meeting, if any points had not been made clea'-. At the meeting, although some of the points were elaborated no new matter was introduced. With regard to what was implied by my opening remarks at lhat meeting, there was no other implication than that which my words conveyed. The Council favoured the proposals, the Sloke-Rjciimond branch of the Farmers’ Unjon as (heir letter over' the signature of the' president and secretary of 29th April. ' took care to inform us. opposed them; but the responsibility. and it was a big one. was on the ratepayers.—l am. etc.. A. R TUFFNELL. Mayor. Richmond. Bth May.