MUNICIPAL MATTERS.

Waikato Times, Volume LVII, Issue 8020, 28 September 1906, Page 3

MUNICIPAL MATTERS.

[The Editor is Dot responsible for the opinions expressed by correspondents.]

TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—ln reply to Mr Bettley's letter in your yesterday's impression, kindly give me space to say that the Burgesses' Association, formed on September 26th, 1905, was guillotined on February 7th, 1906, and Mr Bettley was amongst those ratepayers who assisted in the execution by his apathy and neglect in not turning up to a thoroughly advertised meeting convened for the purpose of considering the borough loan proposals, amounting in tbe aggregate to £54,391. The society was formed largely with a view of concentrating public attentien on these loan proposals; and when only twelve persona rolled up to such meeting, it wis considered the time was opportune to bury the society ; and if Mr Bettley was not present to assist in giving the society decent burial, it is rather late now to talk ab.ut exhuming the corpse to amuse him. Re his 2s subscription, after paying for advertising, hire of hall, etc., the balance is on the wrong side of the ledger. lie Mr Bettley's taunt anent timidity ; pjrsonally 1 am of opinion that those mombera of the Council, who were lacking in the democratic spirit to the extent of refusing the 262 signatories, the right of taking a poll on this vexed question, have oommitted a grave blunder, especially when they had established the precedent over the saleyards site; and when a man of the mental equipo;s of Mr Geo. Edgecumbe takes up tbe position he has done, one cannot help coming to the conclusion that he is jusiified in bis attitude. Some councillors object to act as delegates over the library site, but they were quite willing to act as delegates, and take a vote over saleyards site, when only a handful Cast tbeir votes. Further, only 220 ratepayers recorded their votes over the recent largo loan proposals, yet nearly 300 signatories to a petition asking for a p'ebiscite over library site are told in effect that they are an insignificant quantity.—Thanking you in antic pation, I am etc., J. E. TIDIJ Hamilton, September 28.