CORRESPONDENCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5686, 3 October 1896, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

BOKOTTGH OF SYDENHAM. TO THE EDXTOB. Sr&, — Will you kindly give the undersigned ratepapers of Sydenham space in your paper to ventilate a grievance that at the present time is very acutely f elb throughout the whole borough. A very large majority of the ratepayers feel greatly incensed at the action of the Council in endeavouring to raise a loan of i'6ooo without consulting the ratepayers ; also for having run the borough into debt by increasing the overdraft at the bank to auJ unreasonable extent, and consequently ■. necessitating the increase of r&tes'at a time ' ji 1 depression when a population like that \ of Sydenham must feel the pressure much worse than a more wealthy community would do. There are instances in this borough where people have had to go short of food to enable them to pay the rates. We consider the time inopportnne for voting an honorarium to the Mayor, seeing that in the past the honour of holding the position has been considered sufficient remuneration for the services rendered, and at no time has the borough been so deeply in debt as it is at the present time. Seeing that the present Mayor opposed the motion, we can come to no other conclusion than that those members persisting in it must have some ulterior motive. We also object to any gentleman getting his name placed upon the rate-roll for the purpose of getting into the Council, and so having a voice in the expenditure of the rates when he is not the owner of any property in the borough: We consider the Council committed a serious blunder in refusing £25 per day from the Trotting Club for the use of the Park, as the club would be sure to hold the trot elsewhere, which might just as well have been held in Sydenham as any other* place.. We consider the Council. as a body have shown a great want of consideration for the ratepayers by their past action?, and consequently have no confidence in them for the future. We also think that they have shown a lack of self-respect or they would have taken the hint that was so forcibly given them at the last meeting called by the Council for the ptirpose of testing the feelings of the ratepayers on the question of their action in the matter of the loan, &c. We all naturally expected the Council would have resigned in a body, and so have given the ratepayers an opportunity of again returning those members in whom they might have confidence. There are several other matters in connection with this subject we should like to discuss, but feel afraid of encroaching too much upon "your space. By inserting the above you will greatly oblige the \indersigned. This l?tter does not apply to the four recently elected councillors. — We are, &c., HENBY TUBKINGTON, and fifty-four other ratepayers of the Waltham Ward.