EX-COUNCILLOR'S STATEMENT.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12951, 16 May 1935, Page 6

EX-COUNCILLOR'S STATEMENT.

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE. (Correspondence is welcomed on interesting subjects, but we do not necessarily endorse the opinions of correspondents. > (To the Editor.l Sir, —Tift: Mayor, in Ins usual municipally autocratic manner, ouly too well known now amongst many or his best friends, in liis position should not make statements without being very sure- of his facts—when he cannot depend on his memory. At the last meeting of the Council he said that no credit was due to me for the divining of the water, but to Mr J. C. Davidson and he was backed up by Crs. W. T. Brown and J. E. Murphy. I will use my memory to refresh theirs and later get. a report of the actual discussions from the “Herald” of back date. Soon after my election to the Council four years ago 1 said that I had had considerable experience of water divining and had read of what was happening in the Auckland Province where many towns were being supplied with water in this manner. I instanced Otahuliu and the wonderful underground supply there. I told the Council that a diviner had said there was a tremendous supply of water under the ground at the Carnival Park gate; that Mr J. D Piper had got a wonderful artesian supply at “Apple Tree Flat;” that th - Mangr.tainoka factory f ried to hare but struck a papa belt ; that I had no reason to think that we could not get artesian water in this valley ; and that we should provide £SOO for experimental purposes The whole Council laughed and treated it as a, great joke. At the time His Worship said that geologists had stated that the breaking of tlie underground strata would prevent any possibility of water ever being found in this valley. Ail l now be credits me with that statement, hut his reason is no puzzle to me—he was not able to give himself any credit or his bouquet-throwers either. This bouquet-throwing by the way, has been carried to. such an extreme that many people outside the Council often use the term “the one-man glorification society.” In my opinion, a a one who has had considerable experience as chairman of a large number of private and public concerns, it is the practice to give a direction only from the chair. My experience at the Council table, however, has led me to realise that the Mayor gives a direction, and also a decision, while the Council looks

I remember a Cemetery Committee report coming before the Council which never saw the light of day. It was submerged, and later a new one arose from the usual place. I am satisfied that after one has been a member of the Council for a number of years he will find, even if he has any initiative, that he is only wasting his time. If it had not been for the modesty of a number of men who had been asked to accept nomination as Mayor this year. I hove no hesitation whatever in saying that we would now be having a fresh head at the Council table. I only hope that the new blood, already showing some pro“ rrdse and initiative, will eliminate once and for all the term “One-man Council."—Thanking you, I am, etc. GEORGE H. HODD. Pahiatua, May 16, 1935.