MONDAY, June 7 1948. The Grey River Argus MAYORAL ACROBATICS

Grey River Argus, 7 June 1948, Page 4

MONDAY, June 7 1948. The Grey River Argus MAYORAL ACROBATICS

FOR a good many years, Greymouth has been blessed with, a succession of what might be term-non-politieal Mayors who, as chief magistrates, have taken the wise course of attending to the business of the people to whom they are responsible, rather than delving into other spheres where their talents might have been more limited. To-day, however, the position is reversed, and the town is confronted with maintaining the honorarium of an occupant of the office who, in the seven months he has been the municipal leader of the people of this town, has failed to carry out the promises made at the time of the campaign which resulted in his election.

That Mr Boustridge, after a brief holiday in the far south of Westland—and far from denying him that privilege, most citizens would welcome his change—has stepped out as the advocate of the llaast Pass Road surprises no one. How far over the track, which will eventually become a road, he progressed during his visit, remains a matter of some doubt, but since his return he has made strong efforts to prove the Government, and the Minister of Works in particular, in the wrong about the delay in its construe tion. Simply, he refuses to believe Mr Semple when he is told that New Zealand’s needs of hydro-electric power must take precedence over all other public works. Mr Semple, who was only the second Minister of Public Works in the country’s history to visit the far south (and H first to realise anything of its potentialities from the timber and tourist angles) has made his statement, and most people are prepared to agree with it. LOCAL PROJECTS: .

The Mayor’s charges against the Works Department for its failure to push on the Haast Pass job have become rather monotonous, and are obviously designed to camouflage matters of much more moment to the people of the borough of Greymouth. Increasingly the ratepayers and residents of the town are asking what has become of the grand promises made by Mr Boustridge at the time of his election. What, for instance, the cyclists and road users are asking, has become of the scheme to make Tainui Street less dangerous and much less risky to life and limb? Other people are asking where is the town clock? More want to know what has happened to Mr Boustridge’s water scheme for the borough and Grey Valley. Is it because he cannot persuade the Government to foot the whole of the bill that he has adopted a strange silence after a somewhat noisy demonstration? Sports bodies and others are interested in the community centre proposals, but here again, the Mayor is not active. Perhaps Mr Boustridge cannot bring enough of’his colleagues to agree with him as to what form the community centre should take—whether it is to be just a show place, or something of artistic and cultural value to the town. And then the whole town is interested in gas—not mayoral gas—and wants to know how much longer they have to put up with the present supply, which is becoming a diminishing quantity. For too long this position has been allowed to drift along, and those who had hopes that when the present occupant took office, the mayoralty would become m e of an emblem of leadership for progress arc now becoming sadly disappointed as they see the town going back and back, work neglected, plans and schemes thrust at them, put on paper, and then calmly put aside. Not only Ministers, but very often their critics, have to answer charges of various kinds. Mr Boustridge might be good as a critic of ministers, but he ought to confine his criticism to angles from whir 1 - 1; -

own actions cannot be likewise questioned. If, as some believe, he is aiming at political promotion, he ought first to set about thn business of trying to improv J Greymouth, and leave others to look after their own interests. Obviously Mr Boustridge’s • first obligation is to Greymouth, and the public will expect much more of him than he has so far shown capability in demonstrating.