THE MAROKOPA TELEPHONE LINE.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 360, 8 May 1908, Page 3

THE MAROKOPA TELEPHONE LINE.

(to the editor.) Sir, —I would be pleased, Mr Editor, if you would kindly publish just what I think with regard to Mr W. J. Shaw's (Chairman of the Kawbia County Council) and Mr J. Shaw’s cottons re lhe Marokopa telephone line, and being one of the guarantors I think I can claim the right to do so. In the first place I ask why the Chairman of the Kawbia County Council,, seeing that be is placed in that position to act for the benefit of the ratepayers, made himself so busy as to journey to the Marokopa bridge site to meet settlers within the Awakino County re this telephone line, or why did be offer the handsome sum of £lO per annum as part of the guarantee required, when it cannot benefit the ratepayers witbin the Kawbia County to any extent ? In fact I fail to see what benefit the guarantors within the county will reap by the construction of this line. Yet the Councils’ guarantee of £lO and the money from lhe eight guarantors within the county make a grand total of £lB guaranteed by the ratepayers. All the same you, Mr Chairman, are brought to task for delaying this line. The Awakino settlers put the blame upon you, and why not ? Have you 80 soon forgotton how they fought to

keep out of the Kawhia County and do you think that they so soon would accept this financial help from us ? I think not, or I am sure they would have been businesslike enough to have secured this handsome offer of £lB per annum for a period of 5 years ere this,.

even if it had cost them a few days work to do so. They undoubtedly think that you, Mr Chairman, have trouble enough witbin your own county. Mend some bogholes within the county with this £lO and you will better please tbe ratepayers, and sir, do not journey to tbe Marokopa bridge site again to talk ways and means of getting a telephone line erected to the way back Awakino settlers, and you will better please them, and the most important of all, you cannot then be tbe one that will cause delay in this matter. And with regard to what I think of your actions in tbe matter, Mr J. Shaw. I think, sir, you did wrong running around and wasting many days scraping together cash, etc., for something that does not benefit

yourself to any extent. It is through your meddlesome ways that I guaranteed my pound, and my pound and guarantee are now in tbe council’s hands for which I am now very sorry indeed. What many people may think to be a good and kindly action, others consider it just a person making himself someone big, as it were, officious, just looking for fame. I think, Bir, that for tbe future you would be a wise man if you stay upon your own bush section, and shepherd your own flock, for when you attempt to do those domestic animals a good turn, take it from me they will undoubtedly under •land and at least be grateful.—Yours, •to.« HARRY DERECOURT.