ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 729, 18 July 1878, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

ro THE EDITOR OP THE EVENING MAIL. Sik, —On reading the report of the nomination for Mayor in your morning contemporary, I notice that Mr. Steward opened his address by shaking hands with himself on his position as a candidate for the Mayoralty for the third time, at the request of such a large number of the ratepayers. Now I have heard it confidently stated that the requisition of Mr. Steward was compiled by himself, and (together with a list of names of parties likely to sign it) handed to an individual for the purpose of canvassing for signatures. This, if true, appears to point to the fact that his present candidature is not in consequence of the requisition, but the requisition was the result of his candidature. Further on in his speech Mr. Steward states that the requisition bore the signature sof the whole of the Councillors, with the exception of the gentleman who was acting as Returning Officer. Was it accident that Mr. Gibbs was the only Councillor who did not sign it, or was it only part of a concerted effort of our present Mayor and Corporation to continue their existing state of things for at least another year ? The latter is, I think, the true finding ; and, unfortunately for the ratepayers, the reason for such action is easily perceived. For the last two years the public have been systematically kept in the dark as to the real financial position of the Council. Large sums have been frittered away which should have been expended on town improvements or reproductive works ; and the present Corporation positively fear an alteration in the personnel of their body, which would be likely to bring about those investigations into past transactions which are so urgently needed. As a corroboration of this view, it is well known that the auditors elected by the ratepayers last year for the express purpose of overhauling financial matters were impeded in their duties in many ways, and were actually refused the perusal of the minute book.—l am, kc., Brown. TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENING MAIL. Sir, —I trust that during the election for Mayor or town councillors some effort will be made to induce an expression of opinion on a matter of very considerable importance, namely, that of cheap bathing facilities. I am aware that we have now a bathing establishment of great excellence, but to enable the town to derive the full valir; of it it is necessary that its cost to the citizens should be reduced. lam aware that under the present arrangement there is a considerable amount of expense, but much of it might be abolished if the baths were the property of the Corporation, such, for instance, as Secretary's salary, rent of office, &c., and if for about LI 500 the baths could be acquired as the freehold of the Corporation the charges might be greatly reduced, and the oonstiquent utility to the town be immensely enhanced. Ido not think the Company should demur to the acquisition, as it was duly impressed upon the promoters at the time thay got their lease that the Corporation might resume it at any time Trusting this suggestion of mine may giro no offenco, but elicit somehow an opinion in favor of cheaper bathing, I am, &c., Diver.