A DISCLAIMER.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13425, 16 March 1907, Page 2

A DISCLAIMER.

(To the Editor.) . Sir, — As the convener of the recent ' public meeting^ held at Stratford to consider the question of the tardy pro- ! gress made with the authorised -public works in this district, and as one of the principal speakers at same, allow me to protest most strongly against the remarks that are reported to have fal-" len from the lips of the County Chairman at the special meeting of the County Council held on Wednesday last. If he is reported correctly he appears to have said that "he could not resist the conviction that the prominent speakers at the meeting were inspired by personal and political motives'." Now, sir, without being offensive to Mr Marchant, I would like to give the above statement so far as I am personally concerned an emphatic denial. I think most people will agree that my efforts, ever since I have been connected with public affairs, have been in the interests of "this colony in general and of this district in particular. I have for some considerable -timo past realised that unless some improvement were made in the method' of carrying out the public works in this district its progress must be seriously retarded. It was only when the present summer had nearly gone by and I had noticed that no tenders had been ■ called for metalling on the Ohura Road, and it had come to my knowledge that the much-needed work on the Toko and Mount Egmont lines was practically at a standstill, that I felt the matter was one calling for the immediate attention of the settlers in this" district, who, like myself, haye every-^ thing at stake in it. The clear and exhaustive statement put forward by Mr McQutchan/ at Wednesday's meeting showed conclusively that the position had been in no way exaggerated by me or by any of the other speakers at the public meeting. Mr McCutchan, than whom there is no greater authority in the colony on back country settlement, hit' the nail fairly and squarely on the head when he declared that "had not such dilatoriness been shown on the part of the Government in providing means of transit, at least onethird more of the country would have been under profitable production." And when one adds to this the fact that the urgent and accessary work on the Mount Egmont line is practically at a standstill, in spite of the representations that have been made for years past by local bodies from Stratford to Wanganui, one is convinced that the stronger the searchlight of public, opinion that is thrown on the whole matter the better. Public attention should undoubtedly hfi called to such a state of affairs. This I have done. It is for the settlers themselves to act further, and not let the present unsatisfactory state of things continue. As regards "personal political motives," had I allowed these to enter into the matter at all there is no doubt the public meeting referred to would never have been called by me. The Hon. the Minister expresses his regret that the people of this district do not appreciate the good work ajready done. He is mistaken — ' they do appreciate "it. What they object to is the tardy progress made with the authorised Works in hand. — I am, etc., N. J. KING, Mayor, Stratford.