PUBLIC OPINION.

Patea Mail, 18 August 1882, Page 3

PUBLIC OPINION.

Contributions, Letters, Inquiries and Answees thereto, are invited on Fanning. Commerce, Politics, and matters of interest to the Patea district. Names of writers need not be Printed. “ DEADLY-LIVELY .” In your last issue there appeared a paragraph commenting on the conduct of Mr Coutts and myself as members of the Cemetery' Trustee Board, in having differed from other members about tree-planting, and in so doing seemingly to have sinned beyond redemption. No reporter being present, I am of opinion that the information you have emanated from some member of that Board, and shews beyond a doubt the personal feeling he posseses for some of bis fellow members. The proceedings of the meeting, and the statements of members said to have taken place, are widely apart from truth, as the following will shew. The motion for planting trees in Scotland street was disposed of at the previous meeting, in the absence of Mr Coutts ; and when the tenders for fencing were being considered at last meeting, be did object to any tender being accepted on the grounds that sufficient publicity had not been given in calling for tenders, and that the time of ten days .as stated in specifications to complete the contract was insufficient, owing to the difficulty there existed at present in procuring the class of timber required, and which he considered the chief cause of the high price tenderers required to complete the work.

As for myself, I objected to the sum of £63 13s being at present expended in fencing the roadway when the interior of Cemetery ground required further improvements to make it attractive, and our financial position (notwithstanding what you have' stated to tbo contrary) would not allow of both being undertaken this season, and that only one side of the roadway' should be at present fenced. Last y'ear, when the proposal to lay off and plant a roadway of about one chain wide from new to old burial-ground was being considered, I suggested (and it was afterwards accepted) that five acres should be taken from the land leased and planted ; clearly shewing that the tastes of the members referred to for treeplanting aro not so far apart as your remarks would lead to appear. John Milroy. Patea, 18th Aug.