PLEASE EXPLAIN.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 30 October 1880, Page 2

PLEASE EXPLAIN.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE OAWARsTJ MAIL. Sir.—Would you kindly inform me if there is any truth in the statement that Mr. Shriros.ki has for years owed the Corporation some L9O for kerbing placed in front of his many properties 1 Can you also explain how it is that the Council, while suing poorly-circumstanced ratepayers for small amounts due for rates, have omitted to take action to recover this big sum from thi3 " big bug" ? I know I am very ignorant and troublesome, but I think these matters inquire explanation.—l am, &c., No Distinction TO THE EDITOR OF THI ©AMARU MAIL. Sir, —I notice in this morning's paper that the-Oamaru Borough Council have been taking proceedings against some of tho townspeople for overdue rates. X hear ■ it mentioned in town to-day that one ratepayer has been owing the Corporation over L9O for over fow years, and that the money is still due. Why is this individual not compelled to cash up 1 It looks very miich as if there was one law for the ri&h Sand another for the poor.—l am, &c,, One Who has Paid Rates. OAMARU METHOD OF ENCOURAGING THRIFT. TO TEJS EDITOR OF THE OAMARU MAIL. Sir, —I read with surprise and indignation that the Oamaru Council* at their last meeting, have passed a, resolutipn. to change their present foreman of wqges men, not because the?e is any fault, to be found in the discharge of his duties, but solely because he ia. npfc altpgethes a poverty-stricken -individual. This is a no.vel and startling reason, for giving a ' man " the sack," and the. which, I venture to guess, was never dreamt of by anyone who possesses, or is assumed to possess, a reasoning soul. Not content, however, with effecting the change, the Finance Committee, in its supreme wisdom, has notified the opinion* that " no one in independent circumstances should be in receipt of wages of the Corporation." If such a principle is carried out by the Council—and, perhaps, followed by other corporate bodies—can anyone foresee c>r describe the results that wouid ensue ? I look around and see mep, at undoubted intelligence and capability filling positions in other cognate bodies, but who, alas ! are tainted with the virtues of economy and prudeaos, and wl)o, on the principle laid dawnby thesapient Councillorsof Qamaru, should give place to others Eiose needy, or, shall I say, more improvident men.. It is written "lii tiie multitude of counsellors thprs is wisdom," but in this instance at least the proverb is at fai&lt,. fo? surely it will not be claimed tiuvt there ia either wisdom, oj* justice in a goo 4 mm who haa proved

himself a desirable citizen, and taking 0 n another man, who, for aught that i known, may be undesirable not f or j.- 8 poverty alone, but for other subatantH reasons. I was always under the conyi tion that it was the duty of publi* bodies to distribute their patronao° to the best advantage of the rata payers, irrespective of the positions of the candidates for employment; i) U (. seems I have been wrong. All I can sav is that, proceeding on this principle tho Council of Oamaru will inoculate' the-work-people with the wretched idea that to secure their patronage it will be needful and desirable to eschew all claims to> independence, and to clothe thenißolvei with the humiliating garments of poverty The old saying of " Eat, drink, and b& merry, for to-morrow we die," will bo changed, and the injunction will rather be followed, because it will not end in death, but in promotion to the positions of other and more provident men. I hope the topic will be more fully handled than I have leisure to do.—l am, &c. Fair Pl a ' Yi ♦_ TO THE EDITOR OF THE OAMARU MAIL. Sir,— Being a stranger in New Zealand I crave your indulgence to ventilate & grievance that I have to complain of The few months that I have been in this country I have barely managed to make a living. Being a married man I have been compelled to leave my wife and family j n town and work in the country for wages ranging from 20s to 25s per week and board. Owing to sickness in my family I am forced to employ a nurse. I iind X will have to pay 30s per week and board to an old woman to attend on my wif Q and three children, or else lot them dio. I am informed that at no time in Oamarii has the rate for nursing been higher than 30s per week, and now that wages aro down 50 per cent., and hundreds of pooplo idle even at that, how is it that nursing ia at such extreme rates. I beg to recom-. mend this question to the attention of the. Benevolent Institution.—l am, &c., R. Howie, Trent-street, Oamaru, October 27.