HAURAKI DRAINAGE ELECTION.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5121, 4 May 1927, Page 3

HAURAKI DRAINAGE ELECTION.

LTo the EditorJ Sir, —We take the liberty of encroaching on your space to endeavour to clear the air a little in reference to the Hauraki United, drainage district'election, and with the idea of giving some further information which may npt previously have been known to all concerned. We do not wish to enter into any newspaper controversy over the- matter, but pressure has been brought to bear upon us by many to give the information mentioned hereunder.

Prior to the above election what might be called two manifestos werecirculated. The flist, to the Hauraki Board’s ratepayers by the men who signed it; and the second to the Horahia Board’s ratepayers at the instance of the men who signed it. These manifestos were as follows “Hauraki United Drainage District: We take the liberty of reminding ratepayers that they will all have a vote at the poll on Tuesday next, the 26th inst., irrespective of whether or not they have paid their county or drainage rates. There will be no disqualification of voters. We solicit your support at the poll. ’ (Signed.) GEO. GRAY J. MULES R. H. HEAPPEY JAS. HAMILTON.

“Hauraki United Drainage Board Election : On Tuesday, the 26th April, 1927 the election of seven members, for the above-mentioned board will be held We, the undersigned persons, all members 6f the late Horahia Drainage Board, beg to announce that we are candidates for the above office. All thoughtful ratepayers admit that the drainage problem of this area i» at the cross roads. Either we wrl progress along the lines of the lecen Commission’s report or we will fal back into the petty parochialism of the past. We believe that the three engineers who gave evidence before the Commissioner, who wa? also an engineer, and who agreed with them, indicated the safe lines of development. The crux of the matter is the administration of the affairs of the district. Our aim is to make the greatest use of if both rivers for die common good of the whole distiic . In order to attain this end it is ot vital importance, that the district should be subdivided by the new board along natural and not along arbitrary lines. f “The aim of a certain section ot the late- Hauraki district is to get four out of seven members on the new board, and thus dominate the. new board. They intend to cut up the district to suit themselves and in opposition to the recommnedation of the Commission. Once this has been done vou will not be able to alter it. The question to ask yourself is, are you prepared to be dominated permanently by a section of the late Hauraki district ? If you elect us and we do not suit you, then you can put us out at next election ; but if you elect a majority in the Hauraki area, then they will cut up the district so as to retain their majority and you can never shift them.

“We understand that certain Prisons have advised you to block vote for a few candidates. Whatever may be their intentions, the effect of so doing is to increase the risk of your losing for all time an adequate share of the control of the district. We recommend you to vote for seven Hoi ahia candidates rather than take this risk. From our two years’ service we claim to have gained some experience in the administration of a drainage district. The Horahia Board finished up the last financial year with sufficient funds in hand to do this season’s cleaning, while the Hauraki Board had an overdraft of over £7oo', and had no money for maintenance. Our late board paid no bank interest during 1925-26-27, while the Hauraki Board paid £92 8s 6d. During our short term of office we have been able to make provision by way of sinking fund to pay off one-third of the loan money borrowed. “Finally, the question which we ask you to consider most seriously before you vote on Tuesday is whether you will put your drainage administration in our hands for the next 18 months or whether you will be dominated by the Turua block vote forever. F. A. KNEEBONE J. C. MILLER S. S. MURRAY W. McDUFF J. THOMPSON.” We do not wish to comment at length on the above manifestoes, but would like to summarise a few points briefly, as follows : — That the result of the election goes to l prove that what was alleged by the. above manifesto against the late Hauraki Board is now conclusively proved against the five members of the late Horahia Board who signed it. That this result was not anticipated by the Commission. That block voting obviously did takeplace on an extensive scale in the late Horahia district. That the five members of the late Horahia Board have attained their own expressed wish that seven Horahia candidates be elected, thus leaving the whole of the late Hauraki, district unrepresented on the new board. That the late, Hauraki district is now dominated by the Horahia block vote apparently forever. In the light of the above the results of the voting at the various booths are also interesting, and wc think were as follows

As to the alleged adverse financial position of the late Hauraki, Board as at Marcli 31, 1927, briefly, the position was as follows: Overdraft at bank, £7OO 9s 9d ; arrears of rates owing to board for years 1925-26 and 1926-27, £lOl9 15s 2d. Of the £7OO-odd overdraft, £5OO of this amount had been spent in drain improvements in conjunction with a loan of £5OO in order to- lift a £ for £ subsidy of £5OO. The £5OO subsidy has now to be lifted, and when received will be a credit to the new Hauraki United Board. So, likewise, will be the arrears of rates when received, and it is only fair to assume that both will eventually be received. When these sums are received the actual credit taken over by the new Hauraki United Board (as the surplus of assets over liabilities from the late Hauraki Board) will be somewhere about £BOO, instead of an implied debit of ,£7OO-odd.

True, bank interest to the amount of £92 8s 6d was paid for the- two years referred to, but against this can fairly be taken £37 9s Id penalties on arrears of rates actually received, and futrher penalties on the present arrears of rates will no doubt entirely set off the £92 bank interest. In conclusion, we fully recognise that propaganda is considered legitimate within certain limits, but gross misrepresentation is not British fair play. We, however, leave the matter entirely for the public to judge. GEO. GRAY J. MULES R. H. HEAPPEY JAS. HAMILTON W. MADGWICK. Candidates at election in late Hauraki District.

Horaliia Hauraki Booths Booths "cS T) 5 s 5 U ex g S <2 tn 0 W 4> t4 5 H £ 0 H Kneebone, F. 75 89 75 21 260 Miller, J. C. 79 18 108 12 247 Murray, S. S. 78 43 108 12 241 MacDuff, W. 71 93 54 l6 234 Thompson, J. Hamilton, F. 64 45 86 16 42 no 24 10 216 181 176 Hicks, H. H. 57 19 94 6 Gray., Geo. J 5 123 27 158 Hamilton, J. Heappy, K. H. 2 0 4 6 98 88 21 22 125 116 Mules, J. O 5 93 4 102 Hayward, W, 20 25 - 44 JO 99 Ma'dgwick, Wo J 2 76 4 9 2 Treadaway, J. 3 13 3 s 1 55