EKETAHUNA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXII, Issue 9565, 30 December 1909, Page 5

EKETAHUNA.

THE BOROUGH COUNCIL

THE PUBLIC AS CRITICS

There have beeu some complaints about the way iv which the Borough Council is speudiug mouey aud I have made some inquiries from ratepayers. Tho following are some of the questions put to me :— The old Council struck a rate of approximately £500 aud left a credit balance of £130. The preseut Council srtnck a rate to bring in £850. Why?

What amount, if any, has the preseut Couucil speut on metalling roads during their term of office outside of loau moneys? What amouut has been speut under other heads?

Will the'Couucil have a return supplied of the amount beiug charged per light, to ascertain whether the lighting system is being ruu ou busiuess lines and whether all couuectious are beiug charged equal prices or on a haphazard system? What has become of the promises of candidates that there would be no star chamber about the new Couucil? Why is all business conducted in committee aud only the reports and no discussion made public? What has become of the by-law which prohibits mouey from being spent by committees without the consent of the Council? Will the Couucil publish a return of money so speut aud reasons for spending it? A return of expenditure out of reveuuo for extra work at the power house is also asked for by a ratepayer. Auother asks why some councillors are absent from so many meetings, and states that he will watch the attendance and speeches as the mayoral election approaches. Have the Council decided ou anything with regard to a water supply or do they iuteud to do anything? My questioner states that charges for diag hire and vague statements are all that are made kuowu at present. Do the Couucil iuteud to continue the asphalting of the Main-street footpaths? Aro the building by-laws a dead letter; if uot why are they not enforced iv all cases? How long do the Couucil expect the roads to wear without metal? At election time the candidates stated that the roads were iv a shocking state. Do the Council intend to finish the electric light mains iv High-street? Why were the Stauley-street mains— which wero not included in the loau — finished first? Will tho Couucil review the financial positiou to make sure of having sufficieut money for urgent works without running iuto debt? CHAMBER OF OOMMEROE. The Chamber of Commerce also came in for a fair amount of questioning. The present moment is the most serious in the history of the Chamber. Tho tradespeople, farmers, travelling public, cheese and butter makers, sawmillers, etc., are being put to serious loss and inconveuieuce by the new train service. The mo3t pertinent question put to me was, Is it a fact that most of those competent to lead have attained the dignity of President and now fail to atteud? Were they actuated by a desire to reach that office, or were they working for the public interest? The last two monthly meetings of the Chamber have lapsed for want of a quorum. . ■