ANOTHER GRUMBLE.

Patea Mail, 21 August 1880, Page 2

ANOTHER GRUMBLE.

A sum of £GSO was voted last year for a County gaol to be erected in this district, The money, though voted, was not expended; and now the Treasurer takes it back, and says nothing about it. No provision is made in this year’s estimates for the work. We are not surprised at that; but what we do object to is that all the money voted last year for public works in Patea County remained unexpendad, no effort being made to commence the works so provided for by Parliament, except small bits of railway at Waverley and at Normauby. and this other bit at Patea harbor that was contracted for the very day before the vote would have expired. That is the sort of care and attention which our interests receive at the hands of our representative. He makes a fuss when it is too late. Other districts that got money voted for public works took care to have those works put in hand. They know better than let their vote* lapse. But our Egmont representative, who is so eminent and so able and so experienced and so influential, looks after everything and everybody except his constituents at this end of the district. What is the use of having a representative who docs not represent us? We, in common with our neighbors, admire Major Atkinson, we respect him as a politician, we like him as a man; but no consideration of this kind should bar a journalist from poiutingout the shortcomings of public men, and the Ma.ii. intends to say in public what people say in private about the member for Egmont: it will tell him the plain truth, and if he doesn’t like it he will get it all the same. In discussing Major Atkinson’s public actions, we have had no opportunity so far of speaking in his praise. He is an able Minister, and we have much faith in his integrity. Our concern with him is as a local representative, and we think he fails in the primary duty of a representative, that of caring vigilantly for the interests of his district. Mr Gladstone and Lord Beaconsfield arc criticised severely at Home by public writers who grasp their bands in true friendship and exchange the kindliest private letters. It is not the men that arc attacked: it is their principles, their actions. An honest writer would scorn to express unkind thoughts of public men in their private capacity.. There are writers who misuse their office to gratify animosities and indulge prejudices; but let us hope they are few, and that their influence is small. The only opinion in a local journal that can be useful to M.H.R.’s is an honest opinion: any other would be misleading and mischievous. Our opinion, then, is that Major Atkinson neglects the interests of his district because he is burdened with 100 many cares of another kind. In so far as those interest are neglected, we have to express the public dissatisfaction, and it is unfortunately necessary to return again and again to the same complaint. Angry remonstrance becomes justifiable after repeated neglect.