LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1251, 12 May 1884, Page 3

LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

To the Editor. Snt|—ln reply to “Another Suburban,” if he is another, I may say the Council hare not done anything so absurd as asphalting footpath}, therefore his oh* . Jeotion goes for nothing. Perhaps he is not aware that no part of the rates has been used for the water-races. If-theie be any argument in his letter it must be in the Latin part, which 1 know nothing about, being an ignorant cockatoo, 1 know more about swedes and mangolds. He does not see any reason for maintaining a body who have no interest in ns, save the amount of rates they -—can squeeze out of ns. C nsidering that the Councillors are also members of Road Boards,' and' that they are themselves squeezed out of the largest amounts, bis logic becomes very peculiar. As ‘‘Another Suburban ” seems so sore - aboutthe water supply, perhaps he would tell us bow many suburbans could live here without it. Were not many of the roads in the suburbs made before rates were levied by either Board o Council 7 {Should not his little neighborhood be held accountable for the sum so spent ? The Council spent the money at their disposal in the way most beneficial to the County ;as a whole, without any favoritism. And in proportion as., the farmers gain so will - the town and shbnrbs. The people are not better represented on the Boards than in the Council. In the Council we have the best men in the County. live of these are members of Bead: Boards and the rest ex-members. Will ' “ Another Suburban ” gives us something, like proof of the superior fipmsitl care of the Boards ? His unsupported assertion is worthless. Wi l he give a comparative statement of works and expenses, say for the last three years done by the Council, and the Boards 7 If he will we can then judge which is more earefnl. He is very liberal with vague and . unsupported assertions, but this will not . satisfy the public. Will he be good enough to say how, when and where the Councillors have been unapproachable 7 I and my fellow cockatoos have always found them as accessible as any member of a Road Board when we did not try bouncing. Ido not imagine we can have as many Councillors as we please, unless we have law to i*. I believe six or seven good men amply sufficient; but if > the ratepayers want more X think they ought to have them. 1 never said one engineer, even a heavenborn one, could be enough for the-County. What-a fertile imagination he has (the “Suburban,” not the engineer). It is . simply absurd to say one representative is not enough for each district. Every ratepayer will take Care to inform him of its Wants. When any man brings a charge .against another, or a public body, he ought to sustain it by clear evidence. . H{ts “ Suburban ” done this, or even attempted it 7 He says in effect “the Road Boafds are better and cheaper than the Council, therefofe they are so. ’’ - Shade of Aristotle! The public want fapts and arguments, not id’p assertion. A*l Kye some distance from Asbbqrton I pannofi, at this morpent, give him the financial-part of the question, but I trust ■' to be able to doit very soon. . 'i hp importance of the question under consideration must be my excuse for troubling you at such a length. 1-am, etc., Water