PRO BONO PUBLICO.

Kumara Times, Issue 1754, 15 May 1882, Page 2

PRO BONO PUBLICO.

[to the editor.] Sir— During my peregrinations through the town I picked up the following, and, thinking it might be of service in the present local crisis, I resolved upon publishing, per favor. Our friend Richard John tries to ape Csesar, and should take his old dispatch of “Yeui, vidi, vici,” as a watchword, as it appears that whatever may clash with his own opinions shall be forthwith doomed ; and, were the resolution lately passed by a majority of two in the Borough Council traced to its origin, we might be able to see his drift. No doubt a little modicum of selfishness is mixed up with his public spirit, of which he is so largely possessed, and for which we all give him credit. But, no ! no ! my dear Dick ! we can’t put up with evei’y notion or crotchet emanating from your fertile brain, and the dissolution of our borough is one. Our neighbours down south through their Press are very much in its favor, which any one with the least grain of common sense in their place would bo, as who would not when the so-much-desired dissolution would place at the disposal of the Westland County Council a pretty tidy sum annually 1 I don’t think for one moment there would be any pickings from our contribution. Oh ! no ! for have not the County Council swallowed the pill offered, and will spend the greatest part in the maintenance of our streets, &c., &c. 1 If any simpleton would place £IOOO per annum in my hands, I don’t think I would stick at a promise. The question is, would I be able to perform all I would promise, or seek the assistance of ingenious friends to got me out of them—most likely that would bo the alternative. I certainly sympathise with the County Council in their difficulties ; but two wrongs never yet made a right, and it would not be just to ourselves to throw away our advantageous position and saddle ourselves with debt to clear our friends. Times are too poor just now, friend Richard, so we can’t afford it. If our southern friends are so willing to accept our pence, why don t some one down that way propose the abolition of the Hokitika and Ross boroughs ? Their revenue added to ours would at once place the County Council on their legs, and the parrot cry of being too much governed would then he “dried up,as we would have but one administrative body to deal with, and all the paraphernalia which costs the money would be centred ; also the poor oppressed publicans would be all on the same foot-

in §- If Me people of the south are s d public-spirited as to pull in the same boat with us, I think mosft of us would be willing enough, and would work hard to 1 make che whole County prosper. As the sound part of your argument in favor of dissolution is admittedly true—l mean the extra expense part of administration and the crippled position hf the County Couhcil—by the absorption of so much revenue which might be devoted to a better purpose, that of opening, -up the country-to the worker, ?nd thereby benefiting all, were such a climax to happen all our best men would come to the front and strive for positions of power, because the administration would be worth looking after, and We would not have the Council throwing obstacles in the way of abolishing gold duty, reducing miners’ rights to ss“ and a host of small but important measures for the benefit of the working man. Now, my dear Dick, I know you don’t stick at anything if you olice think it right and likely to result iti public benefit; certainly you like your own particular locality to get the lion.’s share of the good tilings ; so if you will be a good boy and try these few suggestions on their merit and they work well, I will at a future date furnish you with some more. There are plenty of ways of helping others than by injuring yourself, so don’t try to break up our town till you show us something better than the County Council as at present situated. Hoping you won’t get everything your own way, as it would soon spoil you as it did Csesar—l remain, yours truly, . -Tom Fool. Kuraara, May 12th, 1882.