THE LOAN PROPOSAL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 514, 2 November 1912, Page 5

THE LOAN PROPOSAL.

The Editor. Sir,—Will you kindly permit me space in your valuable columns, to briefly outline a few remarks touching upon the loan proposal of £21,000, which I find in many quarters are wrongly interpreted by ratepayers, and on what principle, I claim, as a councillor at the time these proposals were considered, from my standDoint. In the first place our newly appointed engineer, Mr Dodge, was instructed by the council to generally bringdown a scheme for the completion and extension of various works, and generally embody a scheme of municipal development, to meet the requiremets of our borough. This he did to the amount of the above figures, and was congratulated on his efforts considering the time he had at his disposal. After discussing the loan proposals, of ways and means, etc., the final decision" was arrived at: First, to approve of the scheme of £21,000, but for the first year to borrow £7000; rate of interest and sinking fund not to exceed 6 per cent., which rate was considered to be at the present time a likely rate to borrow at. With the small balance of £2OOO in hand, of the old;loan, this would be at least sufficient to meet urgent demands. Further, the new council of April next could in their turn, if they so desired, borrow further of the £14,000 balance to go on with the scheme of development. I claim if was not the intention of this council to borrow immediately £21,000 in a lump sum, and have money idle; only to borrow, as I said before, sufficient to meet urgent demands, 'and approve of the general principle of the scheme. Unfortunately having included the objectionable Sheridan street bridge in the scheme, and our worthy Mayor's attitude in regard to same in not accepting the first resolution to delete same, it has unquestionably had the harrassing effect of a great amount of criticism and apparently personal bickerings. I say that had the Mayor consulted his councillors on the memorable night, that, with a small amount of tact, all this turmoil would have been avoided, and the principle of the scheme approved and gone on with. Then the council would have soon felt the pulse of the money market, and if money could not have been raised at that figure, I feel sure that the Mayor and councillors could have dealt with the position on its merits, and done the next best thing to further the scheme to the best interests of the ratepayers. Now, to quote Mr Boddie at his last meeting, in his farewell to the councillors while in the Mayoral chair. He said, which I feel sure, can be echoed by all councillors present, "my symDathies will be with you always," I don't think he has born out his resolution, and he knows fully well our Mayor, Mr Hardy, is a man more of a condescending nature than a fighter. A man who has done nobie work in the council, and a citizen of the highest order, and one deserving of every assistance in his work as a public man, and further, certainly, deserving of more equitable treatment from our first Mayor.—l am, etc., D. J. YOUNG.

The Editor. Sir, —When coming to reside and do business in the town of Te Kuiti, I was informed that it was a very up-to-date place in the sense that the inhabitants were exceedingly intelligent and progressive with a full sense of their rights and privileges as citizens of the freest and most democratic country in the world. I have lately had gfave reasons to fear tht I was misinformed, as from recent acts and pronouncements of the Mayor it appears that the common or garden variety of citizen or ratepayer is not allowed to have any say in the deliberations concerning the spending of his own money, but must keep his mouth shut, and do as his masters tell him. IE he does object and aays he would like things done differently he is called rowdy and treated with contempt, and any expressions of public opinion, even if unanimous, is entirely ignored. I would like to ask, Mr Editor, if this is a state of things likely to continue in Te Kuiti, and if so, whether those who love freedom in speech and the right to a voice in the management of their own affairs had not better remove to some freer country—say Russia, for choice. —I am, etc., DELUDED RATEPAYER.

The Editor. Sir, —'With reference to a letter apI pearing in your issue of October 12th under the name of G. H. Thompson, secretary Waitara Harbour Board, anent Waitara wharf charges, I herewith quote an extract from a letter forwarded by Hatrick and Co., Ltd., to the secretary r>£ the Marokopa Dairy Co., dated Septebmer 2nd: "The Railway Department have a waggon here consigned to your company. . . . The waggon measure 510 feet, freight at 80s per ton would be £l9 2s 6d plus wharfage 25s 6d. We will, however, deliver at Marokopa for £l2 10s plus wharfage." In fairness to vour correspondent who stated the position accurately as far as the company knew and as shown by the extract of Messrs Hatrick and Co's. letter I ask you to be good enough to give the matter fullest publicity. Possibly Messrs Hatrick and Co. may be able to throw some light on the subject.—l am, etc., J. SMITH, Chairman Directors Marokopa CoOp. Dairy Co., Ltd.