LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13772, 8 January 1917, Page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

I V " I ',' ■"■"" 1 r CTVIC AFFATRS. . c To the Editor of'''The Times." i Sir—The bungling over the contin- ( gent send-off is receiving 'drastici and ( deserved, attention,' and the stupid man- i iier in which-the- Council tries to cove]' I up its tracks over that scandalous opi- I sodc, causes reflection upon matters of ' perhaps more serious import, Disquieting ' rumours arc afloat indicating that -the i Council at present is not a too happy family. A break from convivial habits usually leads to mutual recriminations, amU'the cat being let out of the bag," of course wherever there is smoke there is tire. Sonic sifting must absolutely be effected, at the next' election, and if possible men of business capacity must be secured to till the places of the incompetents or sinecure?.. No one can safely predict what is ahead of lis in these times, We have fortunately escaped from much that wo may yet have, to face at the Imperial call, WYmay be short when the time comes round, but, even so, we can 'be getting ready. In other connections, as citizens we have shown ourselves capable of effective organisation, and the eflicient and dignOed control of our civic affairs is too important to be allowed to go by default, A careful perusal of recently printed matter relating to the "Electricity Scheme" leads to the disquieting reflection that if we have not "bitten off more than we. can chew'' we are at least up against the urgent' necessity 'to see. to it that w fi get the right stamp to deal with the prop&sitory. The latest somewhat academic report froni the Council's advisory engineer' spells iiuK-li that requires serious cogitation. As a document for future reference it will most effectively protect its writer (a charm of expert' reports at all times). Sumn.ed up. the engineer points the way and the Council must needs do the- rest. The appointment of a borough clee- • trieal engineer, being necessary, may not have been realised by son;.-> :.!', [lie present, councillors. The signification of the necessity should however ?m apparent, The present councillor?Jiave given us so much evidence of their vacillation and incapacity in dealing with officials, and have adopted "rii ut tactics in the art of shrouding in mystery so many of their actions thai, our faith in them is shattered.. "We get, so much " in confidence" by way of explanation from them "as individuals" that we smile in recognising the allround incapacity revealed, The community is small, but surely tire huxloring, inefficient "has-beens" can be replaced by men of a better mould:? At any rate, recent events and future problems all point to the necessity for change, Things could not be worse than at present, and it behoves all who have the interests- of the borough at heart to be up and doing against the next. i municipal election,—l ant, etc., ON WATCH. A LONG-SUFFERING- PEOPLE. To the Editor of "The Times." Sir.—ln spite of your bold and slraighf'forward articles, and notwithstanding the added efforts of your cor- , respondents, it seems an almost impos- • si'ble task to arouse the enthusiasm of , the people. Truly, they are ,1 longsuffering crowd, They have boon sub- • ;jeoted' to insult upon insult, weighty and numerous are the grievances which they have had to boar, until now it has culminated in the grossly unfair decisions of- (he Military Appeal Board. When will the people cease, to sit like dumb driven cattle? When will they be sufficiently filled with righteous indignation to rouse them to the assertion of their rights? "Where are our so-called leading citizens that some of them do not convene a public indignation meeting at once, or are they only leading citizens in name, nud. iiot in reality? Is there no one amongst us man enough to take the initiative and agitate for indignation meetings, not only.in Oninaru, but all through the dominion? In justice to ourselves, as well, as in justice to the brave'lioys who are fighting our battles, yes! and fighting the battles of many who are fattening on war. profits', we should boldly, insist upon being fairly and justly treated by those in authority, . Come then, let us cease talking on this subject, let us act at once, thus showing that we stand shoulder to shoulder with David Lloyd George' -.(England's honoured Prime Minister) in his recent splendid appeal for equality of sacrifice, -T am, etc,, FACTA, NON VERBA. ' i MUNICIPAL P.LUFP. To the Editor of "The Times." Sir,—We looked in vain through your report of the ineelirtg for some explanation re the tragedy in emno'liou with the scnd-rifl' to the Twenty f "urlh Reinforcement and concluded thai not one of tho councillors had sufficient; norve, or, deemed it"'of sufficient importance to take notice of the very pro- ,

:ii p ii;Woje (,1;: d i is f ;bn? till' lin'n!£j)^ Tir|y,jiiay^!sii|hV;:bjit i^ sifciic^"thoset whp.'; : a : ppplritedVthem tlo} tli e i iv'pr chpti t = ]j)C\3JtiQi.iß; n iid;; p'cii(l.\iponjj;)tKft|)^ nishod .latp'r'.^itli.'thc."licjys that;'' at-. '.p mei|t.ingr : :o,J.,'Vt : iio ..Borough. Council's; special coiuniittee, hel'd. after.Hhe. c'o.uii-.; cil meeting, itr'wasiiuaiiimousjyi'esolvciL to piirshe the same course its was adopt-, ,cd i" cOiinoctioii.witli last'week's fnuction'' in, coiiuectionwitli tlmnoxt send-' oIE, Then followed-an inspired cxplati-. ation' which -for'shoer unmitigated bluff "takes the.cake,." Most:jtceiily do w.e feel the shame brought ;np6n iis by their blundering. Strongly; do, we ' resent, such an insult to our intelligence. Bosh and Bunkum. Tho fact.is they arc condemned already and only Hounder

in their, silly way. by such an attempt at exoneration." Who tares for sneh clumsy tactics, as is outlined, for the next send-off and who are the members of-the '.'Borough' Council's : Special Committee?", Have thoyiiiadc,a scapegoat of Councillor Woodward! It was the Mayor and he last time; for the next the Mayor and the Town Gierke Ugh ! They want to he, dusted nock and crop. They cannot all be alike'but quite evidently the Mayor has a following ofbackboneless supine inefiicionts who readily follow his lead'and are content to'condone his "offences against good taste.' The writing however is .on Hie wall and it.shall be retouched and freshened up by.' each fur'.her"lapse dating from the'Si'iLiust-when'oar flOiil of the' Twent y-fourth were sliglitedAl am, etc., ■■'. BUKQESS.' •

January (!, MILITARY APPEALS. To the Editor of "The Times.";' Sir—N T o one'could have dealt mow 'airly or squarely than you did regardng some of llie'ileoisions of tli'e .Military \ppeal Board. Our New Zealand boys ire sacrificing I heir all on the battleields in France for King and country, 'or righteousness and I ruth, not to put 'xfrn war profits, or more truly speakug "blood money" into the pockets of•ieh runholilers. Fair play is bonny day, and fair play is all the people of N'e.w Zealand not 1 only asked for, but in-' ;isf upon gelling.—l ain, etc. ' ; SEARCIfLIGIIT. DARDANELLES INQUIRY. COAfPL'KTr.ON OF REPORT DM DELAYEI). (I'on f'slilc—'Press Associalion—Ooiifrijlil.) (United .Servico.) Reeeivi'il January 7, at p.m. LONDON, January 11. The serious illness of Lord Cromer lias delayed the completion of the Dardanelles Commission report on the initiation of the expedition. AL 11. •W. Massingham, writing in the Naliou states that the findings if the Commission will not. be unanimous. There will be a minority report by Sir Waller Roach.