Te Kuiti Town Loan.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 82, 15 May 1908, Page 5

Te Kuiti Town Loan.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—My former letter in a recent issue of your paper on the above subject has' evidently had a somewhat disturbing effect on the chairman and the local member of the County Council, as both gentlemen evidently considered a reply necessao'. Now, I have the greatest respect for Mr Lusk and Mr Ormsby, both as private and public men, and I should be the last to indulge in any carping or unfair criticism, of either a public body or of public men, but when any matter effecting the public interest appears to be LrTdanger of being injured by a certain course of procedure on the pan of a public body, either collectively or individually, I claim the right of any ratepayer to call attention to~it in the'public press, and this was all that my letter was meant for. With regard to Mr Ormsby's insinuation, that my object was to have "a slap at the Council and pose as an oracle in local government matters," I have only to say that I have never as vet known any benefit result to any good cause by its advocates imputing unworthy motives to those who differ from them ; and, so far as I am concerned, if I cannot discuss public

questions without indulging in personalities and imputing unworthy motives. I shall leave them alone. In my former letter I asked why the meeting was not advertised in the lecai paper? To this the chairman replies that "an advertisement appeared in two issues of a paper circulating widely in the district." This pacer I find was a Hamilton journal, but whether that paper is widely circulated in Te Kuiti, I have yet to learn. One thing Ido know is that I have net yet met one ratepayer who saw the advertisement in any paper, and I am well within the mark when I say that at least two-thirds of those at the meeting were present as the result of personal caucus on the part of one or two who in the know, whilst the greater majority of the ratepavers never heard of the meeting till afterwards. I, of course, foolishly assumed in my last letter that someone had blundered; but after Mr Ormsby's emphatic assurance to the contrary, must be wrong, especially in face of his generous acceptance of all responsibility in the matter. In anv case, Mr Editor, my object in writing has been attained. Considerable interest is now being taken in the loan, which, no doubt, will be carried, and the best interests of the town therebv advanced.—l am, etc., JAMES BODDIE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—l have heard a good deal about the Te Kuiti loan scheme of late, and judging from the opinions expressed,' there appears to be a likelihood of some opposition to the proposal. This is a good sign, and should be productive of desirable results, providing the different parties can be got together to thrash out the question thoroughly. There is nothing like good, "well-grounded differences in public matters, especially when such are given public utterance to. By this means a better understanding is arrived at, and the public have the opportunity of thoroughly mastering the details of the subject in dispute. As a recent arrival in Te Kuiti, and one who has every intention of remaining here, I sincerely hope the loan will be carried. The idea of a change of tenure is an excellent one, and st-uuld be advocated, but we all know how hard it is to move the Government to action, and, even if a change was likely, the loan, which is for urgent necessary work, would be just as desirable. Vested interests have already been created in the tow r n, and; anv change which may be contemplated, must of necessity be a slow process. The idea of allowing the town to remain in its present unkempt and disreputable state, on any pretext whatever, seems to me an utterly absurd suggestion. I have recently travelled through a good portion of the North Island, and have never seen a town in such a condition. This district is capable of immense expansion, and the town is destined to become an important inland centre. People with interests in the place are surely more far-seeing than to allow progress to receive a set back at the present time. Any legitimate demands with regard to tenure will doubtless receive consideration, but such matters are interwoven with the policy of the Government, and require to be'supported by the full strength of the district. The loan is a _ local Matter, and one in which the residents should combine—l a^pf, C p HTTM