LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15553, 7 September 1912, Page 12

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

ROSLYN AND AMALGAMATION.

Sin,—Your correspondent "City" informs us that amalgamation appeals to him because ho is going to save 2£d in the pound in rates. Surely ho is very simple to bo caught by such chair. Valuation must always bo tho basis of rating. If; in the event of amalgamation, tho valuation of property in Hoslyn is in-creascd-and this has been tho case in tho suburban areas already taken over by tho city—will Roslyn ratepayers bo any better off by paying, say, a 3s lOd rate on a much higher valuation than they are rated at present? Certainly not, but much the worse. Rather "let us bear the ills we Imvo than fly to others wo know not of."

The administration percentages are found in a Government liluo Hook, which should bo quite good enough authority for "City." nnd as they havo been compiled by independent experts. Roslyn ratepayers will bo quito content to accept them us perfectly j n accordanco with tho actual jxHition, no matter how much amateur statisticians may juggle with the figures.' Tho percentages of rates spent in works by the City Corporation as compared' with Roslyn are certified to |, v ( , public accountant of high standing in the city, and I havo every confidence in his conclusions, " City's " opinion notwithstanding. Now, to deal briefly with the w-cnllcd flourishing condition of thn City Corporation trading concerns: Take first tho gas detriment. In his annual report (p. CO} the town clerk, after inquiring into tlio finances of tlio gas department, goes on to say, "that if this depigment is to conlinuo paying for all extensions out of revenue, it could make transfers similar to ilioso of recent years only at tho expense of its fiKed assets. Tho samo remark applies to the tramways department with tho additional disturbing factor that the recent award will entail anything from £2500 to £3000 increased demand on its resources." Since this report was written big gasholder has again collapsed, involving an unknown largo expenditure. Tho treasurer, in his report (p. 4) staled that tho transfor of £2000 last year to tho municipal department necessitated a corresponding incrcaso in the bank overdraft. Tho chairman of tho Finnneo Committco of tho City Council has predicted that tho tramways detriment is faced with a probable loss of £3000 on this year's running. In view of theso plain statements of the officials, who aro responsible for tho guWanco of tho city's finance, my statement that no " Icgitimato" transfers from tho tramways or gas department, wero possiblo this year stands incontrovertible.

_ Tho city has n sum of £780,000 inrostccf in tho tramwujs, gas. and elcctrio power and light departments, and' after paying interest And charges, tho profit Inst year amounted to £10,509, barely equal to li per cent, on tho capital. So much, then, for tho result of tho "profitable undertaking!" which Itoslyn residents aro licing urged to jwrlicipato in by voting for amalgamation. Much more might bo said, biit I havo already trespassed too much on your Since, so shall now bo quito content to icavo the matter to tho judgment of tho lfoslyn ratepayers.—l am, etc, Alma.

Sir,—Sinco tho amalgamation proposals have been set on foot an attempt has been mado to conciliate electors by doing work in various parts of tho borough, and extra men, horses, and drays have been put on, all this involving u. heavy expenditure. When sovoral deputations Jatcly waited on tho council requesting that urgent work should be done the roply they received was that there was no money to do work with at present. Tho .Mayor was charged with litis at St. Albans after his speech there, and it wa3 pointed out Hat tho ratepayers hurl becu asking for some relief for years, tho channels being in such a stalo that they woro a menaco to health, na thev had been for years. In various other places temporary repairs have been effected, although tho residents had applied, in vain for years, and in most nf the cases the authority of tho council has not beeu obtained for tho work. Tho oxnenditiiro on works in tho borough has been compared with that in tho city, and a conclusion has been drawn in favour of Roslyn, "Wln'lo not admitting this, we will assume it is correct. What then? Anyone who has observed borough methods may oasily "sco that, though' wo havo spent a largo amount of money, wo lmvo not got the results from it that wo could reasonably havo expected, beoauso tho system is one of rolief in tho meantime, so that wliat wo do .this year wo havo to repeat next year. This is largely duo to tho system of ward representation. If we were a part of tho city and work required to l>o dono in any part of tho district, tho City Council has command of money to do tliat work and to excouto it in a permanent manner, so that wo would have finality, and attention could then bo directed to other parts whero it is necessary that work should be done.'

With respect to our representation on the City Council, surely wo ought to bo satisfied if we get the samo as other boroughs ihat liave joined tho city. From them wo hear do complaints, and I think that ihc many business men in Hosjyn, whoso interests aro so closely identified with Duncdin, will bo welcomed by tho city if their services arc placed at tlio disposal of tho electors, .and that they will get very strong support in tho united district. Tho statement was niado at ono of tho meetings that Itoslyn in tho past has been able to manage its own nlTairs, and that if somo of_ tlioso who hnvo passed away could realiso I hat their past work lutu been thrown away they would bo greatly disappointed. I would like to ask the gentleman responsible for that statement if tho present liolioy of tho council would met with tlio approval of theso men. Hy no slrclch of imagination could ho claim that they would bo in favour of it, nor yet could he compare tho experience and business capability of the present council with that of thoso lo whom ho is referring. _ », It is desirable that the electors' should consider this question on broad lines, nnd not bo carried away by side issues. If this is done, I have no fear but thnt the volo will bo in favour of amalgamation.—l am, etc, St. Auians. September 6. ' THE EJECTMENT OF 1662. Sin,—.Mr Gray Dixon says that he has not nnswered my strictures, etc., out of consideration for me, and then tweaks of how tho sparks would fly had ho done so. I am afraid 1 am not u bit impressed or frightened. It would lake more Hum a. Scotchman lo even scotch ins, let alono conquer me. Let that consideration pass, as it was kindly meant. Hut tlio action menus that 1 luivc nothing lo reply unto. Mr (iray Dixon alleged that a "largo portion" of the I'rnyer Book was from Presbyterian sources. 1 gavo ono of tho greatest living authorities to show that this was not so. Now Mr Gray Dixon changes his adjective lo "considerable" and ".important." How nothing, or even 21 pages out of 735, can bo "considerable" j or "important" 1 fail to understand. I I hope your readers will havo noticed that Mr Gray Dixon gives no authorities for any statements ho makes; whereas 1 give standard authorities. As to Mr Gray Dixon's long disquisition on the 'Anglican Church, is it not a pity that he does not make sure of what he alleges as facts: Ho says Ihat "the Patriarch of Constantinople has not so much as heard of the Archbishop of Canterbury." What an extraordinarily incorrect statement, when letters have been published in Church papers from these two to each other! I gave Mr Gladstone and the great Ultramontane Du Muistro as my authorities for the position of tho Anglican Church. Mr Gray Dixon gives'his own opinion against these two authorities. Your readers can accept whomsoever thev please. -1 am, etc., W. CuRZOX-SiflGEits THE CREATION OF WEALTH. Sib,—lt is gratifying to observe Ihat such an aiigiut body as tho Federation of labour lias decreed " that all wealth is created by labour," and that, moreover, this somewhat sweeping assertion is endorsed by no Jess ft person than your correspondent, "More Light." Probably tho federation and '' More Light" havo sufficient light to enable them to sec that machinery is the product of thrco factors—namely, brains, capital, and labour, the last-mentioned being a very small factor indeed. Now, can "Moro Light" inform me how much wealth labour wiih its bare hands, unaided by machinery or capital, would havo produced, supposing that machinery had never been invented?

It seems to inn that "More Ligb't" is somo Hip Van Winkle from the ago "when Adam delved and Kvo .".pan," «nd that neither ho nor tho Federation of Labour is fit to deal with even elementary questions affecting tho distribution of wraith until they both get a vast amount of moro light.— I am, etc., Isventoii. September 6.

FEELS A NEW WOMAN. " I cannot say too much about Chamberlain's Tablofcs," pays Mrs Edith Wall, Clermont, Q., " for sinoo taking them I feel a new woman. I was a martyr to biliousness and sick headache until I saw Chainberhin'fi Tablets advertised as n euro for theso complains. I gave thorn a trial, and found them simply wonderful. Kow J would not bo without thorn for «ny money." For ule cvarynrtaia.