THE ELECTION.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1273, 12 February 1883, Page 2

THE ELECTION.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —In the “ Herald ” appeared a leader referring to the above subject, but principally to the Borough Council and Messrs. Common, Shelton, and Co.’s assumed claim, and purporting to be impartially written, but still one-sided in its strain of partiality and cliqueism. Now, Mr Editor, why should one individual have a right more than another ? If Messrs. Common and Shelton have a right, Fred Steele and Billy Curtis, also McDevitt and Hansen have equally as good a claim on the ratepayers. Still it is reported that Mr Allan McDonald has written to the Government requesting them not to hand over the foreshore to the Borough till Messrs. Common and Shelton’s claim was satisfied. This is how our member means to further the interests of the Borough. We certainly have no reason to thank him in this special case. I fail to see what Mr Common’s private matters had to do with him as a public man. What right had he to prevent the handing over of the foreshore, which he knew at the time was very detrimental to the welfare of the burgesses at large. Our member must have known what injury it was to prevent the Government from handing over the foreshore for the benefit of the Borough, in order to serve one man’s ends, merely because he is a staunch supporter. This is not representation. I should not advise the Borough Council or Harbor Board to depend much on our member’s support in cases where the interests of private individuals who are his supporters would crop up ; possibly this may be the manner in which the Harbor would also be treated—that is, if ever there will be such a thing in Poverty Bay. I am of opinion, in the interests of the town and country both, that it would be far more advisable to get the river channel walled in on both sides at low water, and then survey the spare foreshore from high to low water mark, and when cut up into allotments to lease it by auction to the highest bidder, and thereby have a very large income for the benefit of the Borough. Surely it would be far more beneficial than awaiting the construction of a Harbor to benefit ourselves, and our Native neighbours far more. I cannot see why we should await the building of a Harbor when we can further our progress equally as well by the aid of a good dredge added to the above. Then there is the Water Supply, and a few lamps in the Borough, and Gisborne becomes a city at once, and increases in commercial, pastoral, and agricultural importance almost immediately. Still the “ Herald ” approves of Mr Common’s claim, which will, of course, include onr member’s intercession on his behalf.—Yours, &c., A Ratepayer.