WHAT OPUNAKE WANTS.

Opunake Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 3177, 31 August 1928, Page 2

WHAT OPUNAKE WANTS.

(To the Editor). Sir.—l have read with much interest “Go-Ahead’s” and “Ekanupo’s” letters in recent issues, but it appears to me that what we really want ae a few really good lively I'oMiies to kick things along. The Bolshie mare be a sanguinary so t of chap, addicted to banishing or mm dering people v. ho disagree with his politics, but he does occasionally get somewhere or do something to disturb the dismal monotony of things. It might even be urged that the Russian is rot any worse now than be was under the Tzar rule. He starved then and starves now, and. fudging by the big population there, ho tb-’ves on it. Ts France any better off now than befo’-e the RevoluUon and did tlm kick up do any good OF u A’ l Dm nr : s-

course it am' -t me ' ’ iAf.vf.fc bdd tlm ’o,!. A aml and ; t was divided among the farmers and their sons who grew things on it. instead of keeping it ns a game preserve. There is a point at which the wild-eyed Bn.so becomes a sort ol social scavenge! and cleans things up. It is rot auv good for anvone with a settled Fob and rood salary but most of us. including those venerable leaden writers who preach the doctrine of more wk and less nav. would he violent Tvafskvs 'f thev had to w’cM a shovel for a week at the standard ware. It is a sml fact tlnf too much work makes us angry. The Bridge vpnllv has many good uses and iust how Reformers would win elections without him is rot an easy one to answer. They stick tho Red Label on Labour and go ahead, afd all is well. If Coates was really a good business man be would give Harry Holland six notes a week to say “’cd things” every few days and see that ten reporters were in att r ndance to record it. It b.as possibilities both • <* 1 .1 1C TT*ll /I It rt rl +Vi n

wavs, in fact, and if Holland had the slightest gift of imagination he would r.„ ( ] “m-cof” that his omaonent had bribed lorn to say these things. There are. of course, extremists in both ramns and one of the fine arts of polities i« to keep them from saying what they think. Impartially considered, there is unite a lot to say for the Holr-h . which brings me to my point. >T r . Fditor. that there are opportunities for any intelligent PoMi. in Opunnke. He might get onto the Town Hoard n . M i ho “agin the Government” in ell things. An infusion of revolutionary doctrine would keep members end the P-es? awake. Then he might also 'oin the Power Hoard, and the County Conned which in the not-ioo-remote pa't has been the theatre for some slight deviations from, the placid. Fe could i-oin the Hmarital Hoard and hurry that morgue .along, Bolshie? be]n <t naturally in need of mo”nues. Th°rt tlmw a'-e lot? n f Igenl or"nni?at;c”s v-ldcb are sound as’een as friv pvoff”r.cc i« or' v »PP‘»'T* r d. .At the "”d h« would have onite a goad, chance blooming momlmr fo” Ulrmiotll, )'lO- - he er>t t]m Pcform ticket, fer

nowadav-s tv« all vM rt the ticket as i*cr ,‘ccnrd l>v tlm chavs who ' T»r-?JrJlv Mr. Ed’tor OiMinake wants is a real live Balsh. to stir ns all un, I am, etc., .vEB." ■ . )p::nnkc 23/S/28. Co. respondents are asked to be brief and confine themselves to the is,ue -“iiow can Opunake be iinp.ovcd?” —(Ed.) (To the Editor). Sir. —Th.anks to your interest in the b.end field of questiens affecting the general public, correspondents are being given an opportunity to suggest bow Opmnke cr.u be improved, and v bile some of the suggestions are of a frivolous nature, it is phasing to see that seme little iuterist has been a reused in. local affairs. To begin with let me say that it was unfortunate for Opunako that the heavy expenditure on the harbour can bear no fruit, ratepayers being saddled with a heavy harbour rale for 20 years. There is no escaping this rate, and that being so ratepayers in the town district should ask, nay. demand a reduction in the general Town Board rate. I have before me a cutting from the “Times" of July 22. 1927, giving estimate, of income and expenditure for the year 1927-28 as follows:

The total estimated expenditure was given as Pd-t Cd-10-0, the ddef items being: Ponds, footpaths and (ulverl.s £1403. street, lighting £l4O. sanitation contract £IOO, hospital lew £l*o town ball light and upkeep £7”, Egniont Counts' boundary bridges and interest oil loans Cl‘.'D, interest on road loan (G months) £IOO, incidental £IOO. Now sir. according to these o.iimp.tes Ihe Hoa-d should have about £OOO to start the year with, and rlthougb T do not knew the total new valuation for property in the town, 1 should say that a general rale of Id in the € would bring in upwards of ; £IOOO per annum. Add this to the i other sure sources of income from reserves, etc., and the Board should have at Hast .-C3COO to main tab. —"■“ntial

~ - - - 1 i. w 1 •« ’vili ; n>r ..•omnlrx o--1 ■'.«•?! flrnrcp and the Town ’b'-M'd is iw fiv'-n a splendid r.pportn’”tv of dir".v : nn: them practical sym’l'tiiv w : th ratepayers who are feelit”r the burden of taxation. A reduction of the freneral rate would have a buoyant effect on business and the prone-lv nm-ket and would create a verv favourable impression in other centres. A decision by the Board to reduce the rate by Id in the £ would give general satisfaction at the present time. 1 am. etc., RATEPAYER. Opunake 30/8)28,.

ESTIMATED INCOME. £ d. Rents—Deserves 100 0 0 Town Hall 200 0 0 Hotel Licenses SO 0 0 Do" Registration £13 ' Cattle £100 113 0 0 Bowsers £12. Storage £15 27 0 0 Motor Drivers 35 0 0 Building permits, etc 11 0 0 Billiard Booms 6 0 0 Anctioncers’ License 40 0 0 llc.avv Traffic Fees GO 0 0 Govt. Subsidy on Rates 00 0 0 Rate; General 2d in £ on £140,000 1166 0 0 Sanitation at 30/200 0 0 Awears Rates (appro:. :) 200 0 0 Rank Balance 1014 0 0 Total Revenue £3432 0 0