COUNTY MATTERS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 77, 13 November 1911, Page 4

COUNTY MATTERS

(To the Editor “Stratford Post.”) Sir, —In your issue of to-day you treat with the rejection of Mr G. A. Merchant at the recent polls, and attribute his defeat to the apathy of ratepayers. Now, sir, let me point out to you that the reverse is the real solution of the case, and if you were to look up the number of names on the roll you would find that there are very few indeed who did not record their votes, and they had made up their minds whom not to vote for. Discontent with our representatives has been steadily growing for years, and if there had been an election three years ago the result would have been similar. Let me here state some of the reasons for this discontent which we hear at our creameries as we wait for the “skim-dick”, etc. They did little or nothing to assist us to get our excessively high unimproved land valuations reduced. Therefore some of us have to pay a land tax which wo ought not to pay. They made a huge blunder by spending some £BOO to £IOOO on a worse than useless Stracker waggon. They caused the harmless foxglove (which rarely grows but on logs or stumps) to be treated as a noxious weed. To eradicate this plant means a considerable amount of needless and profitless work during the busy season. They have compelled laud owners to cut down trees which have been planted for shelter and

taken twenty years to grow. But very few of these trees did any damage to the roads. Ratepayers’ stock have been taken by the county ranger if left out on the roads for five minutes. Bullocks from other counties allowed in graze on our roads both day and night. They have allowed and encouraged their foreman to take so much notice of trifles that he has been dubbed “the inspector of nuisances.” They would have charged a ratepayer £2O which was reduced to £7 for material which was taken by him and was not worth as many pence to the county. This is not nearly all, but I must consider your space. “Many a mickle makes a muckle.” “The last straw breaks the camel’s back.” Re a crairman, “There are as good fish iu the sea as ever came out of it.” Thanking yon in anticipation,—l am, etc.

THREE VOTES Mahoe, Nov. 10, 1011.