OPOTIKI METHODS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 75, 16 October 1939, Page 6

OPOTIKI METHODS

LETTERS FROM COUNTY

COUNCIL

REQUEST TO ACTING FREMIER

The following letter has been written to the Hon. P. Fraser, by the Opotiki County clerk, Mr J. T. Merry:— "I have been directed to thank you for letter ol the 18th ultimo in reply to Council's memorandum of the Bth ultimo, concerning resolutions passed at a public meeting of citizens representative of Opotiki and districts in connection with rail Tvay extension between Taneatua and Opotiki, "I regret to inform you that the council does not consider your reply very enlightening and it Avould seem that you have not been fully informed 011 the subject under review. The member for the district was invited to attend the meeting for the purpose of conveying to the ActingPrime Minister the resolutions being submitted to the public meeting, if approved. It seems surprising therefore to learn that the Minister had a statement of the Government's intentions to deliver in reply to the resolutions without a knowledge of what the resolutions contained. It is not correct for the Minister to state that he was given no opportunity of reading the statement mentioned by you. The member certainly had an opportunity to read or make a statement after the resolutions, subsequently forwarded co you, had been passed but he did not do so.

111 my letter of the 9th ultimo the writer explained that it would be appreciated if you would be so kind and were in a position to lurnish the information that was sought.

Assuming that the member for the district is the channel of communication between the Government and the party concerned; surely the council is entitled to the courtesy of an official reply from you through him. No reply has been received by the council to Resolution No. 1 and T have been instructed to enquire if it is too much to expect the ordinary courtesy of a written reply either direct from you or the Member for the District." The following letter has also been forwarded by the Opotiki County Council to Mr A. G. Hultquist, M.P. for the District: — "I have been instructed to reply to your letter of the 14th ultimo complaining of the treatment received by you from the county chair-

man at a public meeting held on sth August. At a recent council meeting, councillors expressed confidence in their chairman, and while not desiring to raise contentious matter it was felt that much oT the misunderstanding that has arisen might have been obviated had you conferred Avith the county chairman prior to the meeting. "Both you and the chairman obviously held different A'ieAvpolnts. each no doubt being quite sincere in the respectiA r e contentions. "I am desired to emphasise there was no political significance in the resolution passed, and certainly nothing Avas further from the minds of the conveners of the. meeting to in anyAAvarj r show discourtesy to the Acting Prime Minister, Minister of Public Works, or yourself. I trust you Avill accept this assurance."