DUST NUISANCE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 135, 30 January 1932, Page 6

DUST NUISANCE

(To the Editor) Sir, It is not at all surprising :hat a righteous body of men like aur Borough Councillors should refuse to condemn themselves for their disgraceful -neglect to abatc the dust • ouisance which is certainly a shame to our boasted health giving resort. , Neither is it an astonishing eircumstance that Councillor Urquhart should suggest that the residents— — signing the petition re the dust nuisance — should saddle themselves with an extra rate seeing they enjoy the privilege of having to pay for the bitumenising of other parts of the town; while their own roads have been neglected for years except having pumice put on the roads to be ground into fine powder for the en-' joyment of all residing in this special area. Great care is taken to keep the shopping area roads exceedingly well , watered .constituting a special rating area for this privilege. The petition in a general way referred to needless expenditure which could be used to much better advantage in suppressing the dust nuisance. For instance, there has been no reduction in the salaries of the staff, we have two engineers when one would be ample, then our band is a costly luxurv for an inadequate return, and

now we have the re-engagement of Mr. Tschopp — from April 1 — for how g long? — to carry out the scheme of | beautification which can be done 1 just as efficiently by some member of i the Borough staff. _ ° I Thus do our councillors play "ducks j and drakes" with the ratepayers' j money when it is, or should be, their ■ sineere desire to reduee expenditure ; in every possible quarter. | i 'it shows what a supine people j we are to submit to this dire wastefulness during a period of excessive depression. Our general and local Governments' sole idea of their great duty seems to be like the case of the lawyer who was consulted by opposing clients, in his dilemma he sent one client to a fellow lawyer with a note containing the sage and honest advice "I have sent you a bird to pluck while I do likewise with the other." Ever more and more taxes, rates and expenditure without a fraction of consideration for the poor payers. — I am, etc R0BERT KIRK. Rotorua, January 28, 1932.