MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20704, 30 April 1929, Page 9

MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION.

to THE EDITOR Sifij—As examples of the injustice that has been caused to the ratepayers by the retiring City Council I would like to cite the absolute waste of money that has been permitted. I start with the Electric Department, for a stand-byplant.it installed a miniature steam plant, totally inadequate in the event of a serious breakdown at Waipori. This plant was dumped and replaced by Diesel oil engines, which are not much better than the steam plant, as in the case of emergency they are next to useless. A serious breakdown, therefore, would throw the manufacturers out of action, and cause unemployment of thousands of workers. The stand-by plant is a white elephant, and the retiring councillors have shown no foresight in their management of the Waipori concern. Next we have the drainage and water supply* which is a positive disgrace to our fair city. It amounts to this, that people living on the flats, at the north and south ends of the town, will have to be web-footed in order to qualify to live in these localities. The Rattray street cable car is another bungle. Next, the gasholder was erected at the main works, and had to be dismantled, and at great cost erected on its present site, where it is in the most absurd position, at people’s back doors; so that if an explosion happened, the undertakers would be assured of constant employment for at least a month. The Town. Hall is, in defiance of the ratepayers’ decision, being erected, with the profits accruing from trading concerns, which should have been put to a more urgent use—the provision of water and drainage. All this goes to prove that the retiring council is not worthy of consideration. It- has shown no economy in administration, and has failed in the execution of its duties by not concentrating on flood protection and oh water service. There are only five progressive members of the City Council who are deserving of the ratepayers’ vote, these being Crs Black, Douglas, Munro, Hayward, and Larnach.—l am, etc., Obs.ertmst.