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Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2646, 16 October 1923, Page 2

(To the Editor.) Sir, —I have read, with a certain amount of interest the views expressed in your columns in regard to the public reading-room and library question. If such criticism does not go further than to arouse public opinion, then some good will have been accomplished. The other fellow’s view-point is worth consideration. Now take the public library question. It is agreed that a certain sum of money was diverted from its real object. The Mayor did not want to increase the burden of rates, and so .he used the whole of the funds in hand to supply a present need, i.<*., municipal buildings. IT is view-point was “sufficient (rates) unto the day is the evil thereof.” He called for no further sacrifice. Herein, Sir, is the fault. If lice. Herein, Sir, is the fault. If our little town is to forge ahead, and the health and prosperity of the community to become a factor —saci'ilice in some form or other — call it patriotism if you will—is essential. We build for the future, ami every public institution provided, increases our community asset, and raises pur standard of life, and inspires a spirit of true citizenship in our hoys and girls. Good roads, footways, public gardens, water and drainage, swimming baths, reading and rest rooms, and a band, are essentials to happiness in every community. The sacrifice to (his end brings untold compensations, ’True, Sir, the man with stunted vision, and tho sordid worshipper of! the golden calf will not see my veiw-point, hut will waste time and shrivel the soul by counting the cost. Let our public men widen their outlook and urge sacrifice for the happiness and well-being of the people and the future good of our little town. This, Sir, is the viewpoint of A HUMBLE CITIZEN. (To the Editor.)

Sir, —As one who served under the present Mayor of Eoxton, and remembering the meeting held in the Town Hall by His Worship for the purpose of furthering his candidature for the Mayoralty, and also remembering the promises he made to advance the town in the interests of all, I would like to address a few questions to lijui and those of his followers who also promised to aid His Worship in that illuminating and luxurious policy which he “pinched” from his opponent, and which ho has so soon forgotten. I would’like to ask Tlis Worship why it is that he has taken his present differences with the heads of other public bodies into the Council—-his differences with the Beautifying Society, the Fire Board and also the Chamber of Commerce, which, by Ibe way, lie wants to know who they are. and of which he is a member. Why it is that, he want.-, to stick the baths in the river? Why he agreed with the mover to raise a loan for baths, and yet wants to block a loan for a. library, for which we are rated? Why a petition should have to he taken up for that object, because lie deems fit to describe it a luxury? Why have the people not been given a choice of sites for the baths? T know some do not care where they are. for a certain reason, And, is it democratic (?) to oppose anything for the bet ferment of the people as a whole, and at the same time rate them for what they have not got ? To publicly utter certain promises and then forget them is not going to he forgotten so soon by others. I would ask those of his henchmen who opposed r.s in our efforts to keep a library for Eoxton in the last Council, the reason of their right-ahonl-face now, because I happen to remember that the mover now was the same who said the “time was not opportune" a year ago. Will the opposition in the Council to His Worship's “1 mu'it" attitude care to discuss llie advisability publicly of asking His Worship if it would need a petition, with 25 per cent, of the electors duly signed, to ask him to hand the chair over to some one who will make this town popular and progressive, instead of giving it a reputation of being out of date and made a joke of? I don’t see why, if we have to forego one luxurv (?) that we should still keep another in its chair for two years. Give us a meeting where His Worship will get- a mandate from the public.—Yours, etc., E. G. MARTIN.