CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2644, 11 October 1923, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

(To The Editor.) Sir, —Do you not think that il is time this foolish and unbecoming squabbling in respect to Easton Park as a football playing ground was banned from public discussion. T know the Herald circulates in other towns —I have had the pleasure of perusing it in public libraries — and while it may give outsiders amusomenl it reflects upon the town itself and is certainly not a credit to the intelligence of those in authority. Surely, sir, there arc some men in the Council with sufficient com-njio to uphold the dignity of llie town and put a stop to a matter which is holding lVxton up to ridicule. —Yours etc. DISGUSTED CITIZEN. (To The Editor-. >■ Sir, —Please allow lie "pace in which \j,) bring before the public I lie gross inconsistency of tin* Mayor in regard to the question of a public library, reading-room etc., which he lias seen lit to describe as a luxury. 1 do not intend at present, to go beyond showing the sacrifice (?) bis worship has made. Shortly after being elected to the Council, I brought up the question of a loan for the purpose of footpaths, eic., but was opposed on the ground that “Ilie time was not opportune,’’ which was always the case if one did not perch on the same rail as His Worship the Mayor. When the question of new Council Chambers was ngain brought up by Cr. Coley for a loan lo include a library, the Mayor seconded the motion, he was in favour of a loan on the 8/8/1921. I opposed the loan as I considered that the people who bad no decent access to their homes should be considered before the personal interest of the Councillors who only met once a month in thp old handroom. Then at the meeting held on the 9 4 1923, on the recommendation of the Mayor, il was decided to approach the Carnegie Trustees for a grant of £1,001) for a library. 1 alone voted against it, on the ground that the money was “blood money.’’ The question of a tie*.' council chambers was again brought iif, and along with Cr. Rand, I opposed the building of same unless a library was provided for, as some of the money to be spent be - longed to the library. Then tenders were called for the building of the council chambers and again Cr. Rand and myself voted against the building of the chambers without t he library, although the Mayor gave bis personal assurance that a library would be installed ill the old bandroom, and here I may state, that we correctly estimated the value of the Mayor’s assurance, when lie now says its a luxury and lie opposes a library, etc., on these grounds. Shortly, ii meant that the old band room was not good enough for the Mayor to maintain the dignity of his office (?) it was good enough to use as a pawn for the grabbing of the library money, he was going to use it as a library. Now its a luxury to have it. Weil, band it back to the band. Perhaps they don’t know what a luxury it is, it belongs to them anyhow. Now, sir, the Mayor on the eve of the last election, was in favour of a library, rest room, etc, but now he has discovered that some people want everything, to use his own_ words. Does he measure other people’s corn according to his own bushel? Further, what sacrifice has His Worship made beyond droping one of his election platitudes, a plank by the way be was charged ; with grabbing, aloug with others, from his opponent. Luxury, indeed! To be able to read a paper of the outside world. Luxury indeed! to know that Foxton

v has not a library. I suppose its a luxury for people beneath the Mayor's financial standing to be allowed to have a place where they can have a quiet hour’s reading for nix and be rated for it, and don’t forget, mothers, its a luxury to have a place where you can rest yourself' when in town when tired, because His Worship says “you don’t know what a sacrifice is!” Just keep walking, but mind and do not obscure the paroachial vision of His Worship when he dashes by in his Rolls-Roy-ce. Will His Worship tell us how the town could he made “attractive and popular,” to use his own words, when he on the other hand, describes the efforts made to do so as luxuries, and must he sacrificed. ’Null sed. E. G. MARTIN. (To The Editor). Dear Sir, —Kindly allow me space in your valuable paper to advocate the starting of another public library and reading-room for Foxton, an institution that is urgently required in a township like this, where there are so many men so often out of work through the stoppage of the mills. I was surprised' to r sec that the question was turned ’ down at the last Council meeting. T was in hopes that before this they would have put the old council chambers to that use, as there is a large room (here, besides an antiroom, that could 1 have been turned into very cosy smoking and chess rooms so that a Chess Club could lx* started and cards played in the smoking room up to a reasonable hour. At one time we could have had a grant from the Carnegie Estate, which would have added a substantial ornament 4 to the township, but it was objected to by some, so there, was no application made towards putting up a good and substantial building, which would have saved us the loss of the last one by fire. To put up such a building now, would cost, thousands of pounds, and to fill the shelves with the necessary hooks and provide the necessary furniture would cost thousands more, -£o that it would require some time and thought to carry such an undertaking through properly, but in the meantime the present building, with perhaps a little alteration, may fill the gap very conveniently. Trusting to see a move made very soon, —I remain, etc. AQUARIUS.