CORRESPONDENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 November 1928, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

ON TEACHING- .GRANDMA

i — " (To the Editor.)

Sir, —I was amused at Mr O’Brien’s efforts at the Princess Theatre last night attempting to throw discredit on the Westland County Council as

to alleged inability to know or do its duty. He claimed credit to himself for ‘‘teaching the Council its job.” Now, what are the facts: — On March 28, 1925, the Westland County Council wrote to Mr O’Brien, then Member for Westland, the subject matter being the provision of the money for Harris’ Creek Bridge. Inter alia, the Council’s letter said:— “As you have been good enough to take an interest in regard to the erection of a bridge, this information is afforded to acquaint you how the matter now stands.”

Then came Mr O’Brien’s reply which was read last night, and which indi-

cated that the Council had' not applied for some grants, and Mr O’Brien proceeded to pat himself on the back for “teaching the Council its job” in urging the local body to apply for it« grants. This however was not his offence to which I took exception personally. He deliberately inferred to the audience last ' night that the County Council was not applying for votes in order to keep expenditure down as an injustice to him as Member in not expending all the district was entitled to! Had Mr O’Brien had the fairness to read the balance pf the correspondence, that inference would not lie, but that did not suit the case he was building up on inuendo and half-truths last night. So he left the niatter in the air with the impression on the minds of his hearers no doubt, that the County Council had not only been lax, hut deliberately lax with the freak idea he (Mr O’Brien) had that the Council desired to harm his record in regard to moneys received for u estland County!

Very good. Let nie now quote from the letter sent in reply to the letter Mr O’Brien read, and which reply was sent to Mr O’Brien the day following, as an indication how far he was “teaching the Council its job.” The letter opens with a reference to Harris Creek bridge vote for which extra money was needed, and Mr O’Brien’s support to that application was invited. Then came this paragraph which clears up absolutely the Council’s position at once:— ;

“ Regarding other votes in the

County, All Our Proposals Are In,' “and most of the Giants are l*w*A “ in respect to works to be Carried “ out by the Council. Thero are; “ some grants, particularly in th<j Far South to be carried out by “ the Public Works Department. iq. “ abeyance, and if you had a chat: “ with Mr Watkinson (then District “ Engineer) you could glean bow “matters stood. Any help in urg- “ ing the expenditure of samf, “ would be appreciated greatly.”

Need any comment be passed to in? dicate who was the teacher apd whp the learner in this little episode*. Per r haps Mr O’Brien will now be. good, enough to withdraw, the dastardly inuendo he made against an unoffending local body and its staff.

I am, etc., D. J. EVANS, County Clerk