CORRESPONDENCE.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14874, 24 September 1918, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE WHARVES PURCHASE.

(To tlm Editor of "The Colonist.'*

Sir,—lf "Silence means assent," your correspondent."Householder" seems to have voiced the general opinion of the ratepayers that this' is- nob an opportune tune to purchase- the wharves by raising a big loan of war-price money But 1 s'': remarks about the growl of the farmer being "illogical" were evidently written "for want of thought." knowing that nobody is more interested in the advancement, of the district than the said farmer, who lias to pay the piper for every tune. The suggested "music/ in the" form of another rate, to pay war-time interest on such loan for 361- years does not appeal to simple country folk, who have been so long and so anxiously anticipating the gionous strains of '"see the conquering heroes come." In your lead-i ing article of the 20th instant you say: xt would bo a thousand pities' if the present opportunity to acquire the! wharves and foreshore as a public en-! dowment were lost." But, sir, we! have the Nelson wharves and foreshore' already "as a public endowment" (owned by the people). The Waimea rate-1 payers appreciate this fact, and fully! understand that voting for the loan next Saturday wjll mean saddling themselves and their children with the responsibility of the expert management of the kelson wharves—with the risk' of an uncertain profit and loss account plus extra rate, which may 'be anything up to 13/32 din the £ (uearly half th? present County Council rates) every year until 1955. People are still lending any amount of money to the banks, building societies, and other sound borrowers at 31~ per cent, to 4 per cent. Therefore, why pay 5J per cent. for £103,000 if the" Kelson wharves project be "as safe as aj bank"—like all other New Zealand Go-1 vernment securities are? Piper «ive' us "Better bide a wee"!—l am etc 5 !

'■"■■ H. G. EERRYMAN, Stanley Downs, September 23rd, 1918