That Council Again,

Northland Age, Volume 1, Issue 14, 15 November 1904, Page 2

That Council Again,

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,-—I ha ve been reading your valuable paper for some time now, and I certainly have been amused from week to week. A week or two back I read that the Chairman (a good follow) was going to get an engineer for a £6O a year salary, and if impossible to get one in the County then import one. Now, when you take into consideration the size of the County, you must admit that £6O would not go far in travelling expenses. I believe the County could get a competent engineer in the district who would be capable, but not for £6O, and from what I have seen of the way the County money has been spent, this year the sooner the better. The County Council should appoint an engineer at their first meeting (after piloting their chairman) to take up his duiidfc al once. In your issue of Bth November I noticed a paragraph signed “ Onlooker.” He says he likes to see County affairs ventilated. I am with him, but why postpone this appointment for another year ? Allowing that the Council is weak, there is an old saying that you cannot make a silk purse out of a Sow’s ear, nor can a. riding be well represented if the riding will not take sufficient. interest at the elections. One of our ridings had for years a first-class man, but the said riding unfortunately went balmy on the Farmers’ Union racket, and meanwhile neglected to return a councillor who would study their interests; result, four feet, of mud, and the councillor for that riding has spent. £2OO of next year’s rates. Unless the other ridings come to their assistance they will have another year of mud. On my way to Awariui I noticed a lot of Kauri planking lying rotting on the roadside. On making enquiries I found it belonged to the Council. The timber is not wanted, and any councillor who would order timber to see it rot should be held responsible, and further the ratepayers should not be squeamish in asking that councillor to resign, and in his stead elect a man who understands his duties and will attend to them. There is still one year before a new Council is elected, and much might vet be done by returning a man to the Council in place of the present deadhead. Trusting I have not trespassed too much on your time and space, I aiu, etc., RATEPAYER No. 2. Awanui, 14(h November, 1904.