NAPIER INDIGNANT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 65, 11 December 1918, Page 7

NAPIER INDIGNANT

'.NATIONAL GOVERNMENT CHARGED WITH NEGLECT THE WAIKAREMOANA SCHEME By Telegraph-Press Association. Napier, December 10. After an indignant discussion lust night, in which very strong expressions were mutle use of, ine Borough Council, on the motion of tue Mayor, unanimously adopted the following resolution: "That tins council desires to piace un record its emphatic disapproval of the .National Government in Its continued neglect and the oeemiuj,' lndill'ereiieo shown by Mintowards the iiast Cons'c district; tlie disregard of the promises made with respect to tlio Wniknroinoana Lake and the national hydro-elaetrical scheme; tne neglect to years, past of the iNnyier-Wai-roa railway formation, with tue necessary construction of roads for closer settlement, ami the continued iiulilferenco to provide lor our city suitable educational facilities for children, alter two years of gross neglect, make it incumbent on tne council to call public attention to (lie present state of ult'airs in the Govomment s administration of its public j'esppnsibi hties." The Harbour JJonril supported the Borough Council to-day. Mr. A. 11. Jull, chairman, referred to thu 'absolute failure of tiie Government to carry out the promises of tlie .\liuislers regarding Waikaremoaim. The members on the board well knew that the district 'had taken an active part in , tlie direction of endeavouring lo secure the consent of the Government to go on Willi the U'aikaremouna scheme. He iclc more than disappointed at what ho had seen in tlie Press during the last few days. Waikaiemoana tvitd .relegated to an "also started" position, and Auckland and Wellington were to have their schemes fiisl, in spite of all the Ministerial promises. About a year ago. there had been a liig conference in connection with this inatier, held in Nnpier, and at a banquet, tendered to the visitors Sir Joseph Ward .said that they could not consider tlio financial aspect v,.t:il iiiter the war. The .Government: was not soing to do these schemes one at a time, but all at onn time. Sir Joseph Ward hud said it would nut lie right to givo one district an advantage over another, and ; he (Sir Joseph Ward) had appealed to the conference to exercise patience till after tlio war. When the flag of victory had been down and the war won he would bo with (hem heart and soul in this work of development. Continuing, Jlr. .Jull said it was up to them and other public bodies to stronely protest against the way in which the Ministerial promises were disregarded. He moved: "J. hat this board ente:s its strong protest against tlie action of the Government in abandoning tlie Waikaremuana scheme in view of the absolute promisee given by Sir Joseph Ward that W»iKareinoann would be carried out simultaneously with other schemes." The motion was tarried iinuiiiniously.