WAITEMATA COUNTY COUNCIL

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 18 July 1918, Page 2

WAITEMATA COUNTY COUNCIL

To the Editor.

Slß,—Would you kindly allow me a little apace to reply to a letter in your last issue, headed Waitemat County Council Finance, and signed James McLeod. i do not intend to be led into any controversy or any further newspaper correspondence with that gentleman over Council affairs at the present juncture, as he knows very well that the Council's ■', organiser, Mr Wright, has not yet completed his work of investigation, and if he will only have a little patience until -* tne Council has had Mr Wright's final report, which, all being well, we should' have in September, then I will be at liberty to speak freely in regard to the administration of the Council. In the meantime I can assure Mr McLeod that the business of the County is being well looked after, and that the ratepayers have no need to worry on that score. Mr McLeod twits me with pot giving . you, sir, Mr Wright's report on County v Riding balances to publish in your paper, so that the ratepayers would know how nicely the books of the Council have been kept. Of couuse Mr McLeod alway kept the ratepayers well posted up for the last 15 years on County matters. I believe he addressdd them even on one occasion some years ago in regard to' raising a loan for the Mairetahi Riding, ■ which in due time, of course, was wisely spent (!) Mr McLeod also says that he tried for over four years to have an accountant put into the Council to put the books in order, but he was always defeated. Is it any wonder that the ratepayers wanted a change, and got it, and now the necessary reform is being carried out very satisfactorily and when completed and the final report is tabled, it will be published in your local paper. Then I intend, as promised, to address the ratepayers and give them an account* " of my stewardship.

Now, Mr Editor, I hope you will ' arrange to have a report of pur Council meetings sent you for publication in your paper, so that the ratepayers may know what is going on within the County and exactly where the money is being spent, and last, but not least, if the work done in the Riding has been authorised by the Council, and properly carried out under the supervision of the Engineer. Thanking you in anticipation.—l am, etc., •'■

H. ATTKKNHEADi: Member Mairetahi Riding, Chairman Waitemata County Council, Parakai, July 15, 1918. '