BAY OF PLENTY BEACON Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 1949 NEW WATER SUPPLY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 31, 29 August 1949, Page 4

BAY OF PLENTY BEACON Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 1949 NEW WATER SUPPLY

If there were any lingering doubts as to whether or not it is possible to get a practical water supply for Whakatane from a source other than the river, Mr Barry’s explanation to the public on Thursday night should have dispelled them. He also made it pretty clear that the scheme the Council contemplates putting into effect as soon as it gets the ratepayers’ sanction for the necessary loan is the cheapest way to meet present needs and allow for future expansion. What is surprising is that, with a sum of £25.000 involved and the certainty of the need for a rate to cover it, there were so few ratepayers who took the trouble to attend the meeting. Perhaps the lack of interest in His worship’s offer to explain the whole proposition publicly shows complete confidence in the Council and its policy, in that ratepayers feel they need take no interest in public affairs themselves. Even so, their apathy does show marked discourtesy to their elected representative, who was going out of his way to give them a chance to clear up any little points in connection with this or any other Borough matter. All too seldom do public men give such opportunities, and Mr Barry must have been deeply disappointed that the response was not better. It does seem that the very least a satisfied public could do would be to turn out strongly to express their confidence, and the only fair thing a dissatisfied public could do would be to give their Mayor and Councillors a chance to justify the policy they believe to be the best possible way to meet the Borough’s needs. That so very little interest was shown either way must be very discouraging to Mr Barry and his colleagues, who have put in a tremendous amount of work exploring the possibilities and j perfecting their plans to improve the Borough water plyMost of the time they have been without constructive suggestions or even helpful criticism from the people in whose interests they are acting.

It is to be hoped the local citizens will snap out of their hibernation to record their votes at the ratepayers’ poll next month for, whether they care to take any interest in their own affairs or not, a decent water supply is vitally necessary to their welfare.