CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 4463, 4 October 1883, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

We ate not responsible for the opinions expressed by correspondents. Tue writer's name, as a guarantee of goorl faith, must bs enclosed in the letter. THE RACECOURSE RESERVE QUESTION. TO THE EDITOR. Sir,— Surely the public will be no longer gulled by the cry of "Blue Ribbon," after reading your report of the Borough Council proceedings of Monday last. Mr. Berry's supporters can now no longer deny that the late election was a " Jockey Club question " and not a " Blue Ribbon" one as stated ; and in proof of what I assert I refer them to tho divisions on the racecourse reserve question, and also to Mr, Berry's amendment and his remarks thereon. He must have had a very poor opinion of the reasoning powers of the burgesses when he stated in the v Council that his reason for not agreeing to the resolution introduced by Mr. Bellringer, that a vote be taken on the two questions, was that not one-half tbe ratepayers would know what they were voting for, and for that reason he moved his amendment, which if it had been carried would have turned over the reserve to the Jockey Club. Now, Mr. Editor, I am pleased to see that a vote is to be taken on this subject, and I think the Jockey Club vote will be a very small one indeed. 1 cannot for the life of me see why tho purposes for which this reserve wag originally granted should be changed at all. 1 agree with Mr. Davidson that it was granted for the improvement of the town and the streets of New Plymouth, and so the new grant should read. The Superintendent had power to lease it for 21 years, and when that lease expires it must without doubt revert to the Borough, and there is no power to divert it from its original purposes. This reserve should bring to the Borough a much larger rent and much more taxes. I believe if this property is properly handled by the Council that in a few years it will bring in a very large revenue, and be the means of reducing the regular taxation a great deal. Another cry has been raised during the late election, and that was, elect a representative man to the Council. I admit the truth of this, for if a certain Councillor is a type of the representative man the sooner the Council is rid of such a one the better for the honest ratepayer. Just imagine, Mr. Editor, a Councillor ordering the water tanks at a house to be filled by tho turncock, who did so by attaching a hose to the mains very early in the morning, and this Councillor not being entitled to water, he having refused to have a lead service pipe laid on to the premises. Is this what a representative of the people should do? Let him Imve the water laid on, and let him pay his water rates as others have to do, and not take it free and surreptitiously. In conclusion, I must express the hope that the Mayor will at once carry out the wish of the Council re taking the poll, and have the vote taken, and not be misled by the new departure taken by the Jockey Club, namely, " We will now accept a 37 years' lease." — I am, &c, Observer.