DEPARTMENTAL DELAY.

Wairarapa Age, 15 March 1922, Page 7

DEPARTMENTAL DELAY.

A GLARING INSTANCE. On February 16 the clerk of the Masterton County Council (Mr R. S. Hanna) forwarded to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Wellington, three rate accounts on behalf of Ngahape soldier settlers. On- March 3 the Commissioner replied that no rate demand was met out of soldier settlers’ accounts until the invoice was signed 11 correct for payment” by the soldier himself; the demands were returned for signature. The matter was considered at yesterday’s meeting of the Council.

In acknowledging the letter and stating that the demands had been sent to the soldiers for signature, the county clerk wrote as follows:—“1 very much regret that my letter was not answered more promptly. I wrote as soon as I received a request to apply to the Receiver of Land Revenue, and asked that if it could poeibsly be done a reply should be sent before February 23, so as to save the settlers the additional 10 per cent. It has taken three weeks for a reply to come back, and I have no alternative now but to charge the 10 per cent, extra. It is hard on these men —'and I personally know that they are ‘up against it’—to be saddled with the extra, charge, especially when it is considered that in addition to the 10 per cent, extra to the county they will have to pay interest to your Department on the rates plus the 10 per cent.”

Tlie action of the clerk in writing the letter was endorsed. The chairman (Cr. W. I. Armstrong) : The Department wants shaking up.