RATEPAYER COMPLAINS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 72, 17 December 1937, Page 6

RATEPAYER COMPLAINS

Open Letter to Napier Borough Couneil NO ACTION TAKEN In an open letter the the Napier Borough Couneil read at last evening's meeting of the couneil, Mr Charles Price, a Napier resident and ratepayer, contended that the couneil had not' taken Ihe ratepayers as fully into its confidence as it should have done. He stated that couneillors had flouted what they knew to be the wishes of a large section of the ratepayers, had treated the whole of the ratepayers with conteinpt, and deprived them of their constitutional rights. Mr Price amplified these statements at length. by quoting the Tom Parker fountain, the theatre and the double roadway. He personally believed the first two items to be well worth-while, but strongly objected to the final decisions regarding these works not having been left to the ratepayers. He also objected to the council's rorait to the Municipal Conference, regarding tho power to raise loans without a poll, thus piling up debts for posterity. As there was a growing dislike to leaving any posterity to pay the debts, who should pay them? The letter was read and received without eomment.