THE NEW COUNCILLORS.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12952, 17 May 1935, Page 5

THE NEW COUNCILLORS.

GIVE THEM A CHANCE. (Correspondence is welcomed on interesting subjects, but we do not. necessarily endorse, the opinions of correspondents). To the Editor. Sir,—After reading the report of the first Borough Council meeting ibis week I felt very wrath at the treatment handed out to the three new Councillors. M any others, like myself, are indignant and I had hoped an abler pen than mine would express the feelings of hundreds of voters. To think that out of four new men who took the platform the people selected three and neither of the three was allowed to sit on two of the most important committees is beyond a joke. Two of the new men polled over 300 votes each and came close to topping .the poll. But the Mayor ignores this pointed indication from the voters and put all old Councillors on the Works and Recreation Committees, though some of them were near the bottom of the poll. Or. Donald is away for six months and would not expect to be on the Works Committee but he is pushed on in his enforced absence while energetic new blood is pushed into the background where they can gain no real experience of the inside workings. If three out of four were returned of those new candidates who addressed a public meeting what would have happened if eight or ten new ones had been nominated? A few more old Councillors may have got a shock. For that matter I would like to have seen a Mayoral contest but the right men will not give uip the time. Mr Wilson has done a lot of good work for the town over a record number of years and I am first to give him the credit. But he should remember that other men have good ideas sometimes and are entitled to a fair chance.

There was a lot of talk before the election about providing a proper Recreation Ground for the town but now the election is over the Recreation Committee wants to open up a few drains that I understand have always been trying to run uphill anyway. Why not do the job decently? The people want it and that’s what counts. Here again the new Councillors tried hard to make a proper job of it and first take proper levels but the old hands did not back them up. I am very disappointed in the way things are drifting and if some of the old Councillors do not stand on their own hind legs and say and do what they think is best then they are not the men I thought they were. I am sorry for taking up so much space, sir, but I am genuinely concerned for the progress of Pahiatua and W 3 won’t get progress with a personal or selfish attitude by the individual men who represent us on the Council.—l am, etc-.,

“RATEPAYER.” Pahiatua, May 18, 1935.