ROMD GRADERS AND RULES OF THE ROAD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4525, 1 November 1930, Page 3

ROMD GRADERS AND RULES OF THE ROAD.

(To the Editor). Sir, —I saw by your (paper that His Honour Mr. Justice Reed pointed out during the hearing of a trial in Palmerston North that motorists ' were compelled to ilceep to the right side of the road. Now, Sir, is it not a fact that 'the road graders were . operating on the wrong side of the road at the time of the accident. Should not the drivers of, the graders he'compelled to observe the same rule as motorists? Is there any reason why they should not? I should like the County Council authorities to answer this question. Yours, etc., MOTORIST. Sir,—Allow me, as another ratepayer, to reply to “Ratepayer’s” letter, appearing in your issue of 28th October. Tn so far as the “talkies” are concerned, these would pay their way until the novelty has worn off, which would not be long afterwards. As regards the other statements made as to Foxton returning to the ■ “dark ages,” the people of Eoxtori have, more sense, and are cleaner, than “Ratepayer” gives them credit for. Incidentally, as he does not disclose his name (of which I trust - he is not ashamed), I do not know whether he is a bona fide (ratepayer. If lie is, and as he states, one of the largest, he either has more money than sense, or else is aphilantrophist, to suggest that he welcomes the extra rates. Again, Sir, the Poxtoii township is not a “back: number” and never will be provided the town Council does not raise the ratepayer’s liability unjustly, as for example, the installation of “talkies.” .1 sincerely trust the citizens of Fox ton will realise the position, and protect themselves from additional unjust 1 axation. •> I am, etc., Y. MeDOWELL. Sir, —As municipal affairs seem to ihe the chief topic, and “talkies”, the main Ibone of contention, perhaps an opinion apart from that of the deputation will not lie out of place. Tn the first place, that petition, was hawiked from pillar to t post, signed by ratepayers with a groucli, and also (by iiou-ratepay--ers, and while those signatures were being affixed, the signatory was regaled with a. budget of economy that was also to be placed before the Council, which was estimated to save, this borough a sum per annum estimated in thousands. What h'as become of those, gilded promises, and why have those who signed, the petition on those promises, been left to wonder"? But there is something those who signed that petition can ponder over in the meantime, and it’s this: That a certain person interested in a Palmerston talkie theatre is desirous of semiring a .lease of I the Royal Hall at its present rental, with a view to installing the “talkies” conditional on the Municipal Hall being closed for two years. In other words, the right of the Council to instill the “talkies” would be given away over that period, and at the end of two years a loss of approximately two thousand pounds would have been sustained—sufficient to have installed the “talkies” without having to face opposition for several years to come—while on the other hand at the end of two years opposition, already entrenched, would be hard to overcome, so that with the above menace in being the , Council would be well advised to stick to their guns, and carry on. As to the matter of rates, any economy that would be effected, may or may not make the burden lighter, but its the direct cause that needs examining, and its not a . matter of borough administration that is wholly to blame. The blame must be put where it belongs, and . that is on the shoulders of the biggest squealers, those who allowed the hold-up in the flax industry of three years ago, where .as a result of mouths of idleness a large sum of rates became outstanding and tire almost now hopeless of collection as a result of the industry in which, Foxton depends, again being forced to sustain a long period of idleness, and when the time comes to again strike the rates, the same growls will (be heard. To put the installation of water and drainage and bitumen roads as a cause is , nonsense, for had not the borough installed water and drainage, the Health Department would have done so. Then we bear a large amount of criticism re the gas' works, but I notice that the most Jferved critics have replaced gas with electricity, but they say nothing about that, oh no! Instead of sticking' to their own Municipal concern, they elected to patronise an outside undertaking, thereby lessening the earning power of the gas works. Considering the circumstances, I think it must be admitted., the Council has a hard row to hoe, and I doubt not that any plan of economy with reason, would be carefully considered by them, but to attempt to force them to obey the dictates of any individual, or aspiring Councillor or Mayor will justly be repelled by them. Yours, etc., IMA CUMMIN.