THE MOUNT COOK TRACK.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3532, 23 January 1886, Page 3

THE MOUNT COOK TRACK.

TO THE KDITOII OF THE TIM.MIU 11EUALD. Sin, — Your correspondent "Ratepayer," m last Tuesday's issue, was m auch n hurry to nir his own fancied grievance that he did not stop to consider the justico or truth of his sweeping charge of misappropriation of public money, nor oven to state correctly the nauio of Ins own Count}-, lie snys the Qovernuiont entrusted tho County Council to carry out llio work under the supervision of their Overseer, and then goes on to accuse that gentleman of jobbery because lie does what tho County Council utterly neglected to do. The grunt was received from the Government since tho December meeting of tho Council, and no business has been done this month for t lie meeliiigshare twice lapsed for want of a quorum. And yet " Ratepayer" so strangely ignorant of the proceedings of the Council, asks — "What are our Council members doing to allow this sort of tiling ?" Judging by their conduct during this month they are carefully looking after their own business, and are entirely indifferent as to tho welfare of the public business. If tho ratepayers put men into tho Council who fail to attend, how can they growl if anything goes wrong. I am., &c, Axohiek Batepateb. Fairlio Creek, Jan. 22. TO TUB EDITOR OF TUB TIMAEU IIEKALD. Sik, — In yours of 19th mat. I am glad to notico one ratepayer of this district has thought 111 to complain of the injustice being dono with the £1200 granted by Government to complete tho road to tho Hermitage, which has been entrusted to the Mackenzie County Council to have tho work carried out. " Ratepayer " does not go far enough and state how the Council aro going to expend tho grant. Ono Councillor has already resigned his seat on the Board and accepted the post of time-keeper at £3 per week. The ganger of the Council (what they call surfaeo men) has been appointed at £3* 10s a week, blacksmith at £2, cook the same, all with rations. These aro all the appointments I liaro heard of at present, but no doubt they will require a few more, and, as " Ratepayer " states all stores, &c, aro to bo got m tlio district from ono store, which I need not state is slightly dearer than Timaru. Now, Sir, I would not complain so much if the members restricted themselves to spending this grant to practising day labor v. contracting, but as far as 1 can hear, tho same thing ia going on with our rates. I We aro paying an Engineer, and I think all (ho ratepayers m the district ngreo with me m saying this grant should have been let m three contracts, even if tl;o Council had bound tho contractors to get their goods from their local pet. Before closing I should like to mako another complaint. Sinco ono former clerk and engineer left tho services of tho Council, wo have not seen the meetings of tho Council recorded m your paper, and tho ratepayers can only hear from outside reports what tho members aro doing with our rates. I am, &c., ft. RUTIIERFOIiD. f Wo understand that ono or two ineeting3 havo lapsed for want of a quorum ; thia would account for tho absence of a report. — Ed., T.H.]