HOSPITAL DE-RATING

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 68, Issue 5944, 17 May 1944, Page 6

HOSPITAL DE-RATING

Sir, —I would like to pay a tribute to those County Council members who have contributed many years of faithful service to the community, but the time has arrived when those members will have to march with progress through present legislation which has been introduced to give men and women equal voting rights. This now places the ratepayers of this Dominion in a position as to what action is required to protect their rights. > Firstly the Government promised that no contentious legislation would be brought down on to the statute book during war time. They have broken their pledge in an unconstitutional manner without the consent of the ratepayers. There is still some of the original county council members and new candidates for the forthcoming election who' are strong critics of any suggestion of taking action. They reply by saying there is a war on, but the war may go for years yet, but other sections of the community and the Government have abused their privileges irrespective of a war on. Appeasement was a very familiar word throughout the British Empire before war broke out, and our statesmen were trying to carry out a pacifist policy with the Dictator of Europe, but bit by bit we were losing ground, and our opposing forces were getting stronger, and yet did not Mr W. Churchill warn the people of England for six years to take action. The same applies here. We as ratepayers are losing the freedom which will take years to regain. I would remind the ratepayers of that Scripture text, “While Israel slumbereth the enemy came and sowed tares amongst the wheat.” Are we awake? Mr Editor, the Government is fast sowing the tares here amongst the public.

The Farmers’ Union has now realised that going to the Government and demanding justice achieved no results. This is the greatest opportunity for every farmer to join the ranks. For years the farmers have asked for a lead to take action, and set fire to New Zealand and burn up the rubbish that has been liberated all over the countryside by inefficient administrators. When that has been done the Farmers’ Union then will be quite willing to co-operate with other sections of the community and the Government so that a formula can be enunciated to allow every man and woman who enjoys a healthy stand-

ard of living to be made to contribute towards those who are broken down in health, and it certainly would be a step towards the new Christian Order, and not a step towards law breaking. The greatest weakness in those County Council members and other members and supporters is that they won’t agree with the Farmers’ Union, and will not bring out another constructive formula to abolish the rates which they know are unfair. Therefore I would like to appeal to every farmer to join the Farmers’ Union and take action and blaze the trail for emanbiptition.—l am, etc., C, CALDER.