NORTH OTAGO LOCAL BODIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22325, 27 July 1934, Page 12

NORTH OTAGO LOCAL BODIES

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Some misguided individuals will persist in their attempts to belittle the chairman of the Waitaki Bower Board, and once more I feel inclined to combat this influence. “ Ex-Employee ” states in a recent letter that the credit of obtaining a further 5 per cent, discount for household users of electricity is due to Mr Forrester, and that Mr Milligan wanted to grant the large power users 5 per cent, and the household, users only 2J per cent. If this is true, it looks as if I made a mistake in giving the credit to Mr Milligan, but I am sure be is generous enough to allow Mr Forrester this credit. What a song “ Ex ; Employee ” is making about the drift of the board’s finances toward the necessity of striking a rate! Does he imagine that North Otago is the only place faced with the possibility of recourse to rating powers? Why, friends of mine in, Otago and Southland hive been paying rates for years, and yet I hear no complaints. What does it matter as long as we have cheap electricity ?

Another correspondent in your columns aska a number of pertinent questions concerning concessions to board members. He should remember that Mr Milligan was instrumental in getting this vicious practice stopped, and he did it fearlessly, although his-staunchest supporters were those most affected. It requires courage to make reforms of this nature. Mr Milligan is to be commended for his efforts in assisting to relieve unemployment in Oamaru. We have two definite instances of this of late, namely (1) the rebuilding of the Power Board offices, where several hundreds of pounds will be spent in pulling down the present offices and rebuilding modern apartments for the staff, (2) extensions to the Oamaru breakwater, where £40,000 will be spent on the relief of unemployment. Although I must confess that I agree with Mr Hayes that the money will not materially improve the harbour facilities, it will be well spent if it improves the beach at Friendly Bay and prevents erosion at the gas works, Mr Milligan has had long experience on the Harbour 'Board, and I well remember how tireless were his efforts in reclaiming the piece of ground now occupied by the children’s playground. I notice that one of your correspondents even objects to the progosed extensions,' but what cause has e or anyone else for complaint, for if he again reads the report of the last Harbour Board meeting he will discover that not one penny of this £40.000 has been paid by the ratepayers? Although I cannot follow this reasoning; this statement would scarcely have been made, had it not been true. The Harbour Board members, like the Power Board members.

should be complimented on the way they give Mr Milligan their unqualified, support in these schemes. It is rather a pity that-Mr Milligan does not control the finances of the Oamaru Borough Council. If he did lam sure some undertaking to make the money spin round would be the order of the day. For instance, the , Opera House could be pulled down and rebuilt. The curse of this age is that the Government, and local bodies particularly, * are frightened to' spend, but prefer to hoard public money. What we need is more men like Mr Milligan—men with business acumen, who are not afraid' to spend hoarded public money.—l am, etc., T Simple Simon.