PUBLIC OPINION.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 9, 8 May 1912, Page 4

PUBLIC OPINION.

W.\IKATO RIVER BOAIiD JMTING. Sir,—lt is wi li great, inferos; that I have watched the let *-rs in your late it-sues re the Waikato River Boird; w« ro it n»t for your, valuable paper we (the ratepayers of the Aka Aka P.ains) would have very little knowIndgaof how we were being treated by the Bo*.r!. In your issue of April 17th, Mr Gei-rge Walker says: —"For the ratepayers to plead ignorance of their inclusioi, is absurd." While not for une moment doubting Mr Walker's goxl intentions towards us I wouhl like him to know that I and several others liave been ou the Plains for ju«t over two years and until receiving the rate notice we hud no direct knowledge of our inclusion. Further, Mr Walker in the April 24th issue says : "Ttier < ii none of the Otaui dairying district (where land exists) within the Board's juris-ditti-m, and ouly a portion of the Aka Aka darying district is within the Board's sphere, and over a portion of wliich the pukeko and bittern still flourish." Now this must surely have been a mistake on his part, for ignorance c»nnot possibly be part of the Board's policy. £3O to £4O land is some of the very land which is included in the rated area; should he doubt it let him try to p:ocure any of it under £3O and I warrant he will find his mistake. Mr Wily does not, if his letter is read aright, state that the Otaua is included ; his remarks were ... " and endeavour to show how little the Aka Aka and Otaua can hope to gain, and how much they have to fear." Quite right! We cannot gaiu one iota but staud to lose very heavily, for this must be indeed a wonderful Board to lower the tide two feet for us. It is not the low water mark we fear, bur, the high water mark. If th«) liver is cleared, as Mr Hill states, like li a big draiu," and a wind blowing up the river like it is at the moment of writing, what will happen if a fresh brings the water down on us from the Waikato twice as fast as it does at present and the tiJe backs it ou to us remains for your readeis to imagine. As fur groynes, well at present the river is divide! by a l.ig island and along our bank we have at present a f-tiriy deep channel; by blocking this up we will lose the only outlet we have at present and the channel without a current is bound to got choked with we ds. Of course the Board .will dredge it. Just so. They are looking for work. Block up a channel and buy a d edge to dredge it out again at our expense. We are at present paying big rates to help ourselves ; we have very little to spare to help others. Now, as to the worthy Chairaian. His ope ,ifig shaft to Mi Wily is not what is expected at one's first meeting.—" I heard you were coming here to bourn e the Board, but you don't bounce ine." Again: "That letter arrived on the morning of the election ; if I had known about it you would certainly not have been here." Now, Sir, I ask is this the way to carry on the bu iness of the Board i If Mr Glass has p >wer to keep Mr Wily out of the Board what else can he do t> us with this self-given power? In conclusion, I would like to mention that Mr Wilv is representing evaiy one of the ratepayers of the Aka Aka Drainage Bo ml district included in tli.H Wnikato iiiver Boml area, and while not holding with any grievances he or the Board may have he can look to us all for solid support. —I am, »*tc., CHAS. A. KIDD, Aka Aka. P.S —We do object to being included in the-areu. As the motion unanimously carrie I at a full meeting of the interested ratepayers stated: "That we, the ratepayers of the Aka Aka Drainage Board, emphatically protest against, being included in any shape or form in the Waikato River Board urea. i