COUNCILLOR FRANCE BREAKS A LANCE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 June 1911, Page 2

COUNCILLOR FRANCE BREAKS A LANCE.

To the Editor. Sir.—Tn the leading article ,011 Wednesday you dub the opponents of the bath scheme "Municipal Palterers." .1 will not accept the epithet myself; and if you were 'better informed upon municipal matters you would not have given it. During the last election Mr F. 0. Smith asked the .Mayor (and with good reason, too) why the council meetings were not more fully rojwwted. Tll an article headed " A lfakcr on Journalism," you scarified him for his temerity in criticising "The Press." I suppose, Mr Editor, you would find fault with his bread if you thought it short-weight or inferior, and! he as a sensible business man would, remedy the defect complained of. Bad you taken the hint given by Mr Smith you yourself would be better informed of the financial trend of borough affairs, and the reason of the adverse vote given to the 'bath scheme. T will say, however, that a.s far as they have gone .your reports have been capably written and accurate.

For years past in the Boroiugh Council the tendency has been 0wards piling up debt; and T think we have reached a fair limit. The last £150 of the- streets loan went in lowering an imperceptible rise 011 the road to the station ; £1.30 of that amount was wasted. Just on £100 of the last water loan went to nav a lawyer's hill for the transfer of a piece of land from the natives to the borough. That account was passed

at the last council meeting, and why did you not publish the amount involved? Where £100 of the ratepayers' money went would, be moro interesting to the- ratepayers till ail some of the matter in your local columns. Instead of belabouring the band of financial reformers, had you devoted one of your enlightening leaders to a caustic criticism upon the fact that it cost the -borough as in ii ch for this bit of legal quill-driv-ing as would metal one of the longest streets from end to< end we might hope for a reform in the tedilaw processes conniected with 'native land. Close upon the heels of the proposal for baths, we have anotiher one to rate the" borough for a share in a. loan of £27,000, which the Foxton people ai'o trying to raise to improve their port. That is a. question uioon which you might contribute a leader and educate (the Mayor and councillors upon this smbject before next council. In some districts in. New Zealand the question of rating for harbour construction "is a theme as fluent as tile sea.'' The council and its executive have been weak in collecting monies dlue to the council. As a comparison to the leader on "Municipal Palterers," how would one go headed "Municipal Pilferers," and deal it out to the people who owe the borough money for gas-fittings, gas rent, and other things. The last time I looked! through the list of dead-head's, I noticed one man who had paid nothing for certain borough services for close on two years. Yet he struts about the town with a prosperous air: he is decidedly comfortablelookiner and well-dressed, and at a. casual glance you might mistake ih'irn for Mr Andrew Carnegie. I tried to get him financially hanged as an example to the rest, but they ! are too good-hearted. In conclul.sion. I will say that I believe that subtle considerations other than, financial influenced that division, and that it will be worth more to the bo ron oh eventually than the lost Government subsidy.—Youirs, etc., HY. B. FRANCE. [We have something to say in reply to Mr France, but through exigencies of space it is crowded out of to-day's issue.—Ed. Cnronicle.]