Dog's tail does the wagging in the garden?

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 605, 26 September 1995, Page 4

Dog's tail does the wagging in the garden?

• In the words of Graeme Cosford, deputy mayor and mayoral candidate for the Ruapehu District Council, their new garden centre in Ohakune is an "embarrassment" to the council. Why? Because they "had no idea that it was being set up"; Because it lies outside the objectives specified in the document of corporate intent; Because it is morally wrong to compete against ratepayers who have given the company the financial backing in the first place. How can the council continue to allow RCL (their "independent business unit") to do this? Or should I ask is the tail wagging the dog? Who is running this circus? Competition I can stand, but competition from a source that I have financially backed as a ratepayer, I cannot abide. RCL, it seems, can use ratepayers resources and money to set themselves up and are accountable to no one - not even the council itself. Of course, I am not surprised that the RCL have not set up a motel/restaurant complex in competition with the Hobbit. I guess it pays to be a director on the RCL - no financial input required and you can dabble in all sorts of other business with no risks to yourself. I ask locals to support the privately-owned nurseries in the area. RCL should ask them to do so to, because if the ratepayers can't afford to pay the rates then the RCL may find themselves out of business. No loss to them, I suppose!

Leigh Ryland,

Papa Ridge Gardens, Raetihi.