BOROUGH LOAN PROPOSALS

Taihape Daily Times, 6 November 1918, Page 4

BOROUGH LOAN PROPOSALS

To the Editor. Sir, —I see by your issue of the 4th inst., that the Borough Council propose spending £17,000 in bringing Taihape into line with other important centres, £16,000 of which are to be used for improving and beautifying the main streets and the other £IOOO for electric light. Do the Councillors really believe the improvements they suggest will bring Taihape into line with other important centres? If so, they know very little about the borough they represent, or have forgotten that part of Taihape is still with-

out water and sewage. They fail to recognise the fact that unless some-

thing is done at once in this matter Taihape will become one of the most unhealthy and unsavoury towns of its size on the Main Trunk Line. Unfortunately, the Mayor and Councillors, with, I think, the exception of two, all live on the eastern side of railway line, and, consequently, have proper sewage and water connected with their dwellings, and it may seem of little moment to them that ratepayers in the western portion of the 'Borough have neither sewage, water, or electric light. During the hearing of a recent court case we were told how our Mayor and some of the Councillors spent certain sums of money, before they had time to rai§e a loan, because they were afraid there would be a shortage of water in ! the eastern portion of the borough; but, sir, I would point out that although they were so concerned about their own health and comfort, they seem quite willing to leave the western portion of the borough in a state of pestilence and water-famine each summer for an indefinite period and yet they talk about bringing Taihape into line with other Important centres, what fudge! The time has come for the ratepayers, in the neglected area, to rise and let the Mayor and Councillors know that we consider the health, of our respective wives and families are of more importance than asphalted footpaths and beautified streets; and if we can get nothing from the Council better than promises as in the past, we must go further and put the whole matter before the Health Department, and see if they are .willing to leave a closely populated portion of a town in a state of daily menace to the health of those who live therein'

Further, what is the Health Officer, of the district doing to the drainage of thirty houses, on the Terrace of Taihape, to he drained into creeks that are dry in the summer, or direct on to the main road?

Councillors and ratepayers, wake up and see what can be done to prevent Taihape being visited with an epidemic, that may take valuable lives and would leave' behind it a lasting stain on the names of our Mayor and Councillors. —I am,etc., NEGLECTED RATEPAYER