A NELSON'COMPLAINT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1681, 22 February 1913, Page 6

A NELSON'COMPLAINT.

Sir,—May I bring before the publio through the agency of your columns how tho Nelson-Wmmea. County Council treats the back-country settlersi and tho Way tho grants for opening up the Crown lands are spent? In tho Pearso. Valley there are between four and fivo thousand acres held ,by different settlers, and it is impossible to work ■ these lands, as we cannot get a pack-horso. : n, and ' everything has to bo packed ,on our. backs. There'was a grant'of JC3O9 put on tho Estimates in the previous session to this last one, and was given, to tho local body, to spend. .Wo sent in a petition, asking if tho money coujd be spent, on tho blufi, which is our greatest l difficulty, as we could get alpng any other part of tho way with a pack-horse. They would not do that, but spent-over half the grant on a place where I would have guaranteed to trot a horse along at top speed, with the'exception' of 'about a chain. This work should havo cost between -£G0 and £70. It is only a six-foot track, and instead it was spun out to cost about 4150. It was a peculiar thing that there were two previous grants, and nono of the money was spent on this part, but was spent higher up, where it was most needed. Am afraid our engineer- found it rather rough walking, and 'our worthy members had to see he was properly looted after. When tho work on the flat was completed they commenced carrying on the work from tho point where the previous grant took it, and tho way the'money is being spent is a positive disgrace, and would take anyono along and prove it. There is Bomo money not expended vet, and it is to be hopjd that the Publio Works Department will take it away from them, and whenever there are any further grants made the Department will put the work in hand themselves. We are long sufferers, but there is a limit when the money is granted and afterwards thrown away—l am, etc., / . • , B. M. FIELD. Thorpe, February 15, 1913. . PHYSICAL INSTRUCTION,\ r '> Sir,—l, as a reader of your paper, would like to know what is being done regarding physical education. It is . now sorno monthk sinco tho Act was passed. I should also like to .ask whether the position of assistant director has been given to the present director's wife. If so, their joint salaries will be equal to a Minister's. I should also like to - ask why the positions for physical instructors were not open for competition, tho snmc as the commissions open for warrant officers just lately filled.—l am. etc.. BLANK FILE. [Inquiries regarding the statements contained in tho foregoing letter were addressed yesterday to tho Acting-Minister for Education (the TTon. IT. D. Bell). He stated that tho position of assistant director had not been given to tho pre.'-ent director's wife, and that no suggestion to that effect had been mado Applications for the positions of physical instructors were invited by advertisement all over the Dominion, and over one hundred applications were received. These applications are now being considered.]