A COMPLAINT FROM HAMPSTEAD.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1351, 25 September 1886, Page 2

A COMPLAINT FROM HAMPSTEAD.

TO THB EDITOR. I Sir.—Will you allow me spice in your valuable pipes; to make a ptote.it against the action cf the 0 >unty Council. Thoj seem to act on the principle of taking all that it ia possible to take from some of their suburban ratepayers and then totally ignoring them. To begin at the beginning, the Borough of Ashbu ton contributes nothing to the County funds as a Borough, hot they wint a water supply. The Count? immediately grant them s m’ thousands of pounds to lay pipes, which have been a grand asset for the Borough Council. As two town districts are now in exist moe on the borders of the B rough both working hard to get their numerous streets in something like order, their ratepayers mostly working men, do they say “ Now this grant spent amongst our ratepayers will ba a great help «o them, we are just gathering in another rate from them, and they should have a helping hand, especially as it costs us nothing ?” No, sir, the ratepayers are passed over. Too Mayor is interviewed, and the non-ratepayer is to get the benefit. I do not blame the Borough or its Councillors ; if they can get assistance cheaply so much the better for them. But it does seem very unfair. No. 1 Ward asks for a water supply or assistance to get one. The answer is •‘if you are prepared to pay, you may gat it,” And we are paying rates. After a

time No. 1 approaches this fair-dealing Council, askmg for assistance to build a bridge over the Wakanui Creek, a bridge over which thousands of sheep and cattle pass from all parts of the County. “No funds available" is the answer. But, almost at the s;me time a pound for pound grant is given for a library erected in the Borough. Is this just he t The bridge is more of a County work than the library. And now I see by yonr paper that » grant of£loo is given to the to find work for the unemployed. What' does this mean on the part of the Council 1 VVe are supposed to have a re- ‘ presentativa on that bod/, but perhaps f we are too smsli fir his notice. It would 3 be well to remember at the next election . to ask a question or two of candidates By the by, perhaps elections have some thing to do with matters By insetting ‘ this you will confer a favor on Yours, etc , Ratepatbr Hampstead September 24, 1886.