CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1053, 7 October 1911, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —As 1 am a casual visitor to Foxton, I travel occasionally in and around your town, and have met many of the heavily-burdened ratepayers, and I find discontent everywhere—l am not surprised when I find the area of your borough takes in pieces of grazing laud, where the owners or occupiers make their living by the milking industry. By being so heavily rated, I am informed some of your ratepayers have sold out, and others are contemplating doing likewise. Well, when we take the above-mentioned into consideration, I can’t wonder at it. Now, what are your borough councillors doing with the large amount of rales they are collecting ? They are certainly doing little or nothing to encourage population. The state of your thoroughfares through the town do not warrant it, and are very bad for an old town like Foxton. Why, in the winter the roads are in such a dilapidated state that pedestrians are compelled either to carry lanterns at night or walk in the mud, owing to insufficient gas lamps. On the evening of the 24th August last, my wife and I were driving down Norbitou road, when the off wheel dropped suddenly into a rut, and my wife had a narrow escape of being thrown out, and six weeks later I was in Foxton again, and to my surprise 1 found the same hole in the road, deeper still. The next morning alter my return, at 6.30 o'clock, I went with spade in hand and managed to collect some stones from the side of the road, and filled it up. 1 think, if 1 were a ratepayer in Foxton I should try and organise an indignation meeting, because the ratepayers, to my mind, are too longsuffering. In conclusion, I may say you can see my ideas are not in keeping with the style of your borough Councillors. Thanking you in anticipation, —I am, etc., James Signae. (To the Editor). Sir, —Will you allow me to enter an emphatic protest against the high and mighty way in which those responsible for the getting up of the so-called Citizens’ Ball are acting. Your paper says Hanley’s Band is being engaged to supply the music, and that tenders are to be called for catering, to include outsiders. What lovely patriotism 1 What an insult to our local musicians and bakers. Not good enough, eh? How much does Hanley’s Baud and outside bakers pay in rates ? Who pays the overworked Town Clerk his beggarly salary ? Not outside bands and bakers. Local musicians and bakers spend their money in Foxton, and help to pay the rates, and even if their music and dainties do not satisfy a few who foolishly imagine they are made of better clay, the majoiity are satisfied. During m\ d n in Foxton I have supt-0.L0.i .... iown which gives me my bread and butter, and I think those responsible for this ball are carrying things with too high a hand, and if the affair is a failure —which it has every chance of being—who is going to foot the bill ? As a ratepayer, I think the so-called ball is being run to suit a few who could afford to run a little private party on their own. — I am, etc.,

A Commonkk,