TO THE EDITOR

Opotiki News, 15 October 1940, Page 3

TO THE EDITOR

BOROUGH ECONOMICS t .. Sir, —Some people never seem, to benefit from experience and are content to just drift along with the wind, consequently as individuals they never' get anywhere; It seems to me that our Borough Council may aptly be placed in that category. When bad times fall upon us as at present, prudent people economise and save wherever jDossible so they may the better be able to withstand adversity. It’s logic and common sense. Our Borough Council apparently disregards this basic principle. For instance, borough residents used to be able to license a, house cow to graze on the lessused back streets in the borough. During the 1938/39 year. £BO was re'ccived in license fees, and the ani- \ mals kept the - surplus grass eaten | down on the road-sides. Some of our council worthies conceived the 1 idea that it was unseemly to haveanimals innocently grazing on the road-side and the licenses were withdrawn. Note the result. In the succeeding year it cost £145 to cut road-side grass, and with the loss of £BO license fees the council made a deliberate loss of £195; and this state of affairs still goes on notwithstanding we are urged to increase production and keep down costs. Would any sensible individual conduct his business in this way? —I think not. In commercial circles if a manager conducted the business of his employer on these lines he would quickly receive his running shoes, and to me that is exactly what our local council deserves. BUSINESS MAN.

SPIDER AND FLY” Sir,—"Come into my parlour said the spider to the fly,” seems to be the text of the Whakatane County chairman, when lie. tells the ratepayers that his council wishes to get a legal right, without a poll of ratepayers, to pledge their farms for a further loan of £50,000, but would not collect the special rate. He could not show that his council was in the habit of striking special rates and not collecting them. In this regard it is interesting to note that years back, when the county chairman was an ordinary farmer at Nukuhou and wore an ordinary sized hat, he agreed that the rates were already too high, but when he got a seat in the counci, he voted for an increase of 33 per cent, in the general rate.' Now lie is working hard for another increase of over three-farthings in the £. At the meetings of ratepayers, as l c ported in the “Beacon”,, there was poor support for the council, s proposal, even when the same ratepayers were carted round to record dual votes at the different meetings. In the defence of our Nukuhou ratepayers, I would like to say that although the county chairman was elected in this riding, ho docs not now represent their wishes in regard to the proposed new loan and other matters. Ho wa s elected, like other councillors, to look after roads and bridges and not for big. building schemes which were - not then thought of. If the present councillors persist in going against or ignoring the ratepayers interests, it will be necessary lo ask them to resign and give place to men who are loyal to ■'the farmers. Just here it is fitting to record the appreciation the ratepayers have for Councillor Clyde McCreudy who has stood out manfully against further confiscation of the farmers, equity in their farms and homes. 'nukuhou RATEPAYER-

ROAD ROUTE AND £.S.D. Sir,—After a conversation with a Whakataho resident, I have made the very interesting discovery that some of the keenest advocates foi the Opotiki-Whakatanc road to be diverted via Ohiwa, arc those who will stand to gain considerable monetary advantage from such a change in route, having interests at Ohopc in more ways than one. Jhis information for tho benelit of Opotiki people might give a clue to the persistence in Whakatano’s advocacy of a new route. Of course, it is only natural that some people would want to feather them own nests at the expense of others. That is a human failing evidenced in all lands. Thanking you for space. ENLIGHTENED.