THE PRIVATE STREET QUESTION.

Press, Volume L, Issue 149814, 30 May 1914, Page 15

THE PRIVATE STREET QUESTION.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PKESS." Sir, —Many of us in this town—newcomers—rind there are streets of which the Borough Council really do not know to whom tho land belongs, becauso it is so long since the owner died or went away. But the Council is neither averso from nor more lenient in collecting rates, nor does it reduce the price of gas, nor remit tho charge for removing rubbish. Someone has announced the street is a private road, and councillors aro terrified lest if they allowed a. load of shingle to bo dumped into a rut the3* might have to undergo martyrdom at the stake. There are, I am told, conditions in the M.C. Act which say rjo person may lay nut private streets without leave of tho Corporation, and that in such leave the Council must stipulate for construction, and that no plan or deed shall bo registered for sections abutting on private streets till they have been approved by the Council.. Yet the local bodies first neglect to force compliance with tho law by the proper person, namely, the one who sells tno property; secondly, it takes advantage to collect increased rates, etc.; and lastly, refuses to do any work on the street —ono of which is Coop's terrace. The tradesmen ot the town, who pay latos, receivo no consideration either in tiie difficulties they have in negotiating the track, punctuated with mudhoics and luxuriantly decorated with all the noxious weed;, of the catalogue. I cannot believe the Legislature of the Dominion, in its wisdom, contemplated that a local body ignoring the conditions on which a private j-oad is granted, should cast the responsibilities of making the same upon ii.T<-ceeding generations. Through the laches of The past the tir:t cost, with advancing rates for labour and material., is doubled, and those innocent of the position revealed in what is called the iegal position are victimised iv every way. while their rates havo been applied for the most part to assist in kerbing, channelling, and metalling more favoured localities. --Yours, etc"., SUFFERER.'

Kaiapoi; May 28th

MR ATMORE'S SPEECH

to mr. eiktok or "THE fbess.^

Sir, —Kindly allow mc through the columns of your valuable paper to make a few comments on Mr Atiuore\-sper-ch in tbe Choral Hall on Thursday night last. A.s ore who is deeply interested in tho political welfare of this Dominion a cno cannot take Mr At mors or any other Liberal vrith any seriousness whatever. I sat for over two hours listening to Air Atmoro criticising the Reformers and what'they had done m the way-of pledge-breaking, but Mr Atmoro nover told us chco that the

-Reformers have only been in offico for a little over two years and wero on«y •arrying out what the Liberals intended to do during tho twenty-one years they were in offico to the sorrow of many., Mr Atmoro reminds mc very much of Mr Isitt. When he delivers a speech he is a political comedian, fully qualified to take tho positions they are recognised in the Houso for—the well-known political comedians representing the Comedian Association living under the name of Liberals. Wo have been told over f»nd over again by tho comedians -that Labour must join forces with tho comedians. I hope in the name of Democracy this will never bo the fate of the Labourites. Mr Atmore's, speech was as tame and dry ns tho pigs in Fin-nei-ty's yard in Tinibuctoo.. I will not weary you with what the toll us, biitVill give you some facts as to what will take place at the coming elections, which, I am sure as I am that tho sun sots, will end ur> with the Liberals cast upon tho political scrapheap, the proper placo for them. \Th<) Liberals have told Labour over Najid over again they aro a flea on the do.g's tail, but tho Liberals forget tho fact that tlipy pot too big for their boot.* and their ship was dashed up on tho rocks to pieces, and tho Liberals aro recognised" to-day by tho majority -cf Labour to bo a flea on thc flea's lo,g'on the dog's tail wagging the dog. Y-vi will agreo with mo that the Civil Service was never such a physical wreck as when the Liberals wore in ]>ower. Tho Civil servants wero allowed too much latitude, and to-day we are eetting tlu fact shown us in the recent Custom-; frauds that there was to some large extent too many irresponsible persons in tho Service. Thanks to the "Mass-vy Government wo have better and more sane methods in our public bervico today. • Labour will never tolerate such political wasters as the Liberal party oi Now Zealand, who are out for no other common cood than to seoure all tliev can for their own fry and turn Labour down every timo rhev can. They have done po in the past, and their promises are like pie-crusts, and their motto is not worth tho paper it is.printed on. — Yours, etc..

MASSEYITE