MOUTOA DRAINAGE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 487, 30 September 1909, Page 2

MOUTOA DRAINAGE.

MR CARTER REPLIES TO MR HAMMOND.

[To the Editor.] Sir, —-If you will allow me space I should like to reply to one or two of Mr Hammond’s remarks in your issue of the 25th. Mr Hammond says : every ratepayer knows how I fought the formation of the Board; they also know what I fought for, viz.,—an alteration in the boundary of special district or classification, and a large number of the ratepayers have told me they consider what I asked for fair and reasonable. I repeat and the ratepayers know that I did not at any time oppose the scheme, if it should be fairly carried out. Re our discussion in Palmerston, in which I am credited with misquoting, I fail to recognise the quotation as written, so cannot take credit for It. At the time of voting two members of the Board had not inspected the drain, according to report. Now, I gfiess Messrs Easton, Symons and the Chairman know the country pretty well, but what special information did the others have, for Mr Hammond’s letter reads as if he knew all about it. Is the airship joke not a little misplaced, Mr Editor, and very threadbare! Mr Hammond explains that all the water on the Shannon side goes down the diagonal and the Board must clean it to protect ratepayers from being swamped with that water. Now, what a large field of usefulness Drainage Boards would have if that sort of thing were indulged in by all of them. In conclusion, and I think this will finish my troublesomeness to you. Sir, as although I can see light through Mr Hammond’s drainage arguments, I freely admit that his wit surpasses me. I just want to say, I think in a case like the diagonal drain while in itself it may dr may not be very important, being outside the original scheme, the outside ratepayers at the Board meeting should have had a chance of expressing an opinion, that in any case before voting the trustees should have seen what was proposed, and lastly, in speaking of one or two outside ratepayers; one or two of the trustees shouldn’t try to be funny.—l am etc. Walter S. Carter. ,