NORMANBY.

Patea Mail, 25 May 1882, Page 3

NORMANBY.

(from our correspondent.)

The only matter of general interest which came before the Town Commissioners at their meeting last week was the following letter of resignation by Mr Qm’n, addressed to the clerk :■ — “ Sir,—Owing to the unjust and selfish way in which the Town Board have concluded to spend the people’s rates, I have decided to resign. It is my duty to this Board, to myself, and to the; ratepayers 1 generally to state the circumstances which have induced me to this step, and to point out in what way the latter can prevent the Board from acting unjustly in the future. “ Ist. The ratepayers can—under Section 47 of the Town District’s Act, and 354 to 358 of (he Municipal Corporations Act 1876—petition . the (Governor to disr solve the Board.

“ 2nd. Thej r can petition Parliament to amend the Town Districts Act, so as to divide the district into wards, as the counties are into ridings ; each ward to spend its own rates, less working expenses. By this method no selfish set of men could levy rates and spend them to enhance the value of their own private property, as has been done by this Board.

“3rd. Ratepayers can elect some one in my place who will be a more pliant tool in the hands of the Board than I have proved to be. Such no doubt will be the case, as the funds for the year are to be spent in the following manner, viz., about one-half opposite the chairman’s premises, £lO leading to Commissioner Rowe’s gardens £ls on Egmom. street, at Commissioner Millar’s request ; and the balance within seven chains of the Chairman’s buildings, mostly towards the Town Hall. It appears the chairman of this Board is also chairman of the Town Hall Company directors; that Commissioner Rowe is a director and mortgagee ; and that Commissioner Millar; is also a director; so that it appears the whole of our money—against our will and protest—is to be employed in improving the properties of these Commissioners. “ All we asked for was a small portion of our own rates to clear away the supple jacks from the track leading to the shed on the Extension, erected there in place of the proper station, and which was shifted by fraud and misrepresentation. : Not one farthing of our own money would this Board allow for this urgent work. . “ It is inconsistent .with the respect I owe myself to i remain longer acting with a body of ; men which has shown it could perpetrate such an injustice, and - 1 therefore now tender my resignation as a Commissioner of this Town District, in accordance with clause 25 of this Act. , (Signed) Charles Quin.”

It is only necessary at present to state that the Commissioners aimed at indignantly repelled the accusation of selfaggrandisement, so unreservedly pourtrayed in this letter.