CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LIX, Issue 9931, 30 July 1908, Page 5

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE DRAINAGE QUESTION.

FtO THE EDITOB.]

Sir,—-I am surprised that the Mayor has allowed a day to go by without trying to removo the false impression conveyed by his answer to Mr O'Leary's question at tho drainage loan meeting;. I am sorry that the Mayor has not-tried to removo that false inipression, for it leads ouo to boliovo that lie lias takeu part with corfcaiu Councillors, who are trying to persuade peoplo that if tho loan f poll is not carried tho Health Department?: w.i 11 , do the drainage work at the towili'fe''expense."' The fact is 'that certaiu Councillors have triod hard to induco tho Health Department to bring pressure on tho Couucil to put iv this drainage, but tho Health Department has steadily refused to do anything of the sort, and I challenge, the Mayor to produce one scrap of evidence of pressure from either the Heait'h Department or the Govoernmeufc. It will readily be seen that if either tho Department or the Governmeut wished this work done, aud was pressing tho Council to do it, the first thing would bo au offer to provide the money; but no such offior has beeu imide, or else why does tho Mayor stipulate as a condition of the poll that Government must find the money? When the preseut septic tauk was pat iv, it was with the sanction aud by tho advice of the Health Department, who said, "Yes, this is the latest word of science on the subject of drainage. Put it in by all means." But it is a failure, and there is no guarantee that tho septic tank the Couucil is asking for loan money to construct will bo auythiug but a failure also. Tho Health Department may advise the Council to put iv this drainage, because the £40,000 to be wasted iv case of failure will be Borough money, for which tho ratepayers will b9 responsible; but it will be a very different thing if the Health Department steps in to do the work. Iv that caso it would be £40,000 of Government mouoy haugiug on the I success or failure of the septic tauk, aud we may be very sure that while tho Government may allow the Health Department to advise costly experiments with tho ratepayers' money, it will by no moans allow its Department to risk Government mouey in any such way. I repeat my challenge to the Mayor to produce, if he cau, one scrap of evidence of pressure on tho Council to do this work; and I challenge him to assort, if ho cau, that if the ratepayers refuse to borrow for drainage, the Government or the Health; , :-Department will do the work. — f alii, etc.,

Wm. M. EASTHOPE Masterton, 29th July, l!) 08.