MR HAYNES AND THE MAYOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10306, 13 March 1895, Page 3

MR HAYNES AND THE MAYOR.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —Ely attention has just been directed to tho letter of Mr Chas. Haynes re the recent discussion on the gas question by the City Council, and which appeared in your issue of the 2nd inst. It dpe* not appear very clearly what there was in your leader upon the question which called for a letter from* Mr Hnyne<», unless it be that ha felt the truth of your implications. I do nos, however, sco how, by his letter, he clears himself—indeed, I think if it is carefully peruied it will be found that, although ponsiblyhe did not intend it, he re&lly admits their truth. The real face of the matter is that three, if not four, members of the City Conncil— viz., Messrs Solomon, Carroll, and Haynes, will oppose any reform I advocate, and are prepared to thwart in every possible wny any proposal for the public good which I may bring forward, and so far as Cr Haynes is concerned his lettor now under reply completely proves it. And I think the citizens generally pretty well understand that this is so. Before, however, I allude further to his lettsr let mo show Mr Hayues's record since he rejoined the council. The first thing he did was to oppose, object to, and cavil at the all but completed schema of loan conversion ; his nexb attempt was to try to retard, upset, and render nugutory the already agreed upon scheme of ga3 reform relating to tha reduced price of gas for cooking and heating; his next performance is to oppose (and, I regroC, in the maantima. successfully) my further and more recent effort in jtas reform, as also to dei.ty (which meant really shelving the matter) taking tb.B opinion of tho ratepayers aa to whether they would sanction the raising the necessary luudo for the erection of abattoirs po tb.it we might obtain a supply of pure and healthy mean tor the citizens. Surely these facts are sufficient to prove his anti-progressive and obstructive tactics and personal opposition to myself. Mr Hayne* says "he has for some years been of the opinion that the price charged for gas for lighting was too hijh, also that the tyro prices charged for lighting and cooking and heating was a mistake"; and yet, str»nge anomaly, when the opportunity is afforded him of rectifying this mistake he will have none of it. And what is his excus3 ? The stato of the city finances, forsooth ! What loss did my proposals entail ?— an immediate paltry sum of between £600 and £700, wits an almost certainty of that being more than recouped in a short time. No, Sir, his ostensible reason was what he alleges, bat his real reason was opposition to myself. Wait until the 31st March, says Cr Haynes. His motive is sufficiently proved by this remark, for he knows full well that taking the preliminary expenses into account, tho tilting up of two shopa, extensive advertising, &o. ifi is impossible by the 3lsb March to show as satisfactory results as will ultimately appear; and although any sensible man would know that these items chould be spread over a seritis of years, yet I venture to assert that Cr Haynea will be the first man to say that they must bo taken into account (indeed be has already done so), and will eiclaim with the wisdom of the serpent, '' There! you see there is a loss; I told you so ! " &c, &c. Neither are this ijoatleman's remarks upon the city finance at all correct, and in dealing with figures oae should always bo correct, or as near thereto as possible. Mr Haynes says the valuations this year are decreased by £16,000. Instead of that they are under £11,000. He further snys that if the conversion operations are completely successful it will require all the savings effected by tii3t operation, as also all the profits from gas and water, even if those profits remain as they were, to keep the accounts square. Here, again, he is sadly out, as the following figures will show: —lf conversion is lully successful, we swe botween £6000 and £7000 per annum (s?.y £6500), the profits from gas are, say, £4000, from water £3000, or, in all, £13,500. our deficiency is only some £9000 ; so 'chat we shall be plus about £4500 annually. So much for that.

But, Sir, it ia noe'ess arguing with such gentlemen as Mr Haynos, aad I again assert that my proposals were not serionaly or srf;umeatatively considered at all, and that at laast fonc councillors had beforehand determined, without these necessary adjuncts to a fair and proper discussion, to throw them oai. It is, indeed, a big handicap against reform—four solid vote.i out of 13. Sfa Hayncs very kindly suggests that I (should bring my schemes (a» hs calls them) bsfore the committees to ■which they pertain. To do this, Sir, with any cornmitteeof which Messrs Haynes aod Solomon are members would ba to court utter defeat. My " echemes " would be strangled pieoemual, the Hues upon which I was proceeding, tbe object I hid in view, the means whereby that object would be attained would be promaturely disclosed, in a garbled and distorted form, in order that they might be prejudiced hi the eyes of the council and public before the? had sppn the light of day. No, I will not do this, Sir. Is it necessary to remind Cr Haynes as to what took place with regard to the proposed alterations in the office staff? Ir it necessary to allude to what took place in reference to a subject in connection with the loan conversion, about which every moasber of the commicteee (of which the two" gentlemen I have mentioned were members) pledged himsslf temporarily to strict reticence ? Surely not. As to paltry personal opposition to myself, is ia only necessary to refer to one small matter—viz., my proposals in reference to the dust contract. The subject had been discussed more or loss from time to time, and in the main almost every meoobar of the oouncil was in accord with it; and although time was a matter of importance, yet a majority, against my wish, referred them to a. committee to report. And what happened ? Three out of the five wbich formed the majority when it was brought before them with hardly uny consideration accepted them "bolus bolus." And what wan achieved ? A fortnight's unfortunate delay. But, Sir, these patriots had "licked the mayor." Vcrh. sap. —I am, &c, Jollio's Pass, March 8. H. S. Pish.