SELF-GLORIFICATION.

Opunake Times, Volume II, Issue 93, 24 May 1895, Page 2

SELF-GLORIFICATION.

(to the editor.)

Sir,—l see Mr McGloin is in the field again, officially bearing the'Council stamp of authority. It is so gratifying to have an official explanation of those most important customs which Mr McGloin is always so pleased in placing before your readers, a 3 he puts it, for their information. Indeed, we mast be ungrateful people in not recognising his valuable service rendered as member of our local bodies, having in Mr McGloin a person who has labored so hard under the mental weight of finance. I wonder what's his tonnage? I admit we fully deserve the double-edged reprimand he has given us. It is a matter for sincere regret that a man who displays so much restraint, and is of such a retiring disposition as Mr McGloin, should be under the painful necessity, through the medium of the public press, to become the hero of his subject, as he knows well that nothing is more irritating, either in the private drawing-room or on the public platform, than his perpetual self-praise, and yet this sort of thing has become so unpleasantly common. A very brief reflection will convince your readers that Mr McGloin's great ambition is notoriety. It is worthy of note how the much-abused Mr Mc« Guire and Mr McGloin pull so beauti* fully in double harness. Mr McGuire," in his last stumping tour along the line, used the most flattering terms in favor of Mr McGloin. This would seem to the ordinary man that this is worked out strictly on business lines, and is largely run on the priuciple of " You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours." Now, the question that arises in my mind is: What has Mr McGloin done for the over-taxed ratepayers ? Has he or did he make an effort to reduce the county rate (which I admit would be impossible) ? Has he removed our toll gates? Has he removed those cumbrous by-laws, such as wheel tax, regulation tyres, &c. ? Was not Mr McGloin the first man to oppose exempting the Hawera people from paying wheel tax in coming into Opunake ? With wheel tax on one side and tollgate on the opposite side, it must be detrimental to a degree to the trade of Opunake. state would our roads be in if we did not come to the rescue by placing ourselves under a special rate during our natural life ? It is easy to be generous when it costs nothing, and still easier to be generous with other people's possessions. " Good words are good, but good deeds are better."—l am, &c.j Ratepayek. Opunake, May 20th.