MUNICIPAL RETRENCHMENT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1885, 5 July 1888, Page 2

MUNICIPAL RETRENCHMENT.

10 THE EDITOB. Fir, — Mr Friedlaqder ende»vora !n last night's issaa to out down my estimate of the retrenchment expenditure to about one half. Although the pnblio&tloti of the next balanoe-aheet will probably boll a d ffarent talr, 1 will admit that his statement of the case is the correct one. However, £"0 or £70 h a fair proportion of the rates to squander In four months, t»nd I have no doubt with MrFrledlaoder's assistance the Council will bB able to get rid of the balance of the year'o ratea m farther retrenchment before next election. I agree with Mr Frledlander that there is no great sin m describing a compulsory payment as a bonus, especially when there is an Audit Department m exißtenoe. The only objection to suoh a statement ia that it is utterly untru a . I regret that m correcting this mistake I should have raised Mr Friedlander'i bile to suoh an extent, vnd sincerely trust there is no Immediate danger of his Buffering any serious effeots from the outburst. I should never forgive myself if I were the innocent cause of hia demise. The faot of his becoming so extremely personal shows that he feels he has been cornered. Probably if Mr Frledlander takes the trouble to enquire he will find that my advice to Mr Braddell agrees very closely with the legal opinions obtained by the Ooanoll on the question, otherwise I doubt if the "bonus" would have been paid so promptly. As fur an lam concerned this oloeea the correspondence, lam, eto., X, M. COTHBRBTSON, 6th July, 1888.