Correspondence

Te Aroha News, Volume XXII, Issue 42798, 28 October 1905, Page 2

Correspondence

vVe do not hold ourselves resjonsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —The time is near at hand when the ratepayers of this County will be called upon to select cauncillors to administer the affairs of the Comity. Hitherto it has been the custom for the candidates to be nominated, and the successful ones at the poll, were duly elected to the position of councillors, where they ruled supreme, and who dared suggest the subject of, or even the necessity of, reform. were snubbed for their pains. But we elected them to the position, and did not even ask them beforehand -vvhat their views were on any matter affecting the welfare of the district, and no one seemed to know their policy or views (if they had any) on any question relating to county matters, financial or otherwise, and their subsequent actions proved they had no policy, but they blundered along, something like a blind horse would do, finding out obstacles only when they ran into them, whichever was the least possible trouble to themselves. The question, how- . ever, to be considered now is, shall ■we continue in our present muddle, puddle, style, or shall we go in for a progressive policy and better roads ? The answer, I think, is not far to seek. "We must put men into the Counoil who are willing and capable of formulating and carrying out a good sound progressive policy with regard to all matters connected with the County. But, Sir, how are we to know these men jf As I before mentioned we took no trouble to find out their views until alas, too late ; they were masters of the situation. It was considered by them almost an act of treason for any ratepayer to suggest that any reform may be possible. Now, Sir, I would suggest that the candidates come forward and at a public meeting in some part or parts of the riding they wish to represent, state their views to the- ratepayers and let them judge which is the proper person to represent them at the Council.

Since writing the above I have come across an old Te Aroha News in which appears a letter from Mr N. A. Lamey. I enclose it herewith and would ask you to reprint it as it shows that there was at least one man in the Council who brought forward progressive views, but could not do anything as his colleagues were not in accord with him, The date jof|the letter, is August 29, 1903, more than two years ago, and yet we are in a worse state of muddle now that we were then. Although Mr Lamey has persistently advocated reform in the council nothing has been done, through his not having the support of other members. In conclusion let me ask you, ratepayers, to think this master out on its merits. Sink personal feelings. Return men with good sound progressive views, and insist on having those views placed before you, ere you part with your vote. —I am, etc., W. C. Pickett. [Reprint.]

Sir, —In answer to tho many requests from ‘ road bound ’ settlers, and other ratepayers,inot in accord •with our present system of rate spending muddles,- requesting me to call a meeting and explain some method whereby their heavy rates can be made to yield better results than that obtainable at present within our County, I wish to state that dual rating bodies for road works within our County are an expensive farce, and would not he tolerated in any district where common sense representatives did their dutyito fellowratepayers. Hence it follows that the first step towards good roads, efficiency, and economy, lies in merging our Road Board and County Council into one body. This may not commend itself to some who are interested in both bodies, but it is of vital import to the ratepayers. The next important step is to abolish the present system of ‘ Cooperative works,’ or ‘Municipal Socialism’ adopted by the present "YVaitoa Ro.ad Board ipid qotably the Piako County Council, with its staff of horses snd implements, stores, buildings, otc, Now let it be clearly under? stood that I have no wish, or thought, or desire, to reflect adversely on any individual workman, or on all the workmen, employed by our local bodies. They |may be —and are, as far as my knowledge goes —the best men obtainable for their different (positions. It is the system adopted that I object to, and I do thislfor many reasons, chiefly its absoluteness and efficiency together, that we are doing an injustice to the men, throwing a responsibility upon them that they should not be asked to bear, namely, the supervision of their own work, and the keeping of their own time. I know this may be met with many denials, but the fact remains. Bums, a fairly good judge of human nature, and an ardent lover of justice to his fVllgw mffh, says “ I’ll no say ihen ate y'lliqns a’, the Teal hardened wicked, "Who have no check but human law, aro to a few restricted. But oh ! mankind are very weak, and little to be trusted, •If self the wavering balance shake, its rarely right adjusted.”

I presume, Mr Editor, that if Burns were a Piako County Councillor at the present fiiqe ho would be in favour of the contract sygtjqq, Jikq mysglf, Our next step in reform be‘ tepiije<| ' ■ 7Eq%l burthens for equal privileges,” aijd would include equal taxation for Local Government purposes of ail the Maori end Government land within our County of Piako, Up to the present Maori land could bo taxed locally up to half the amount levied upon European owned land, but for somo reason this necessary adjunct to our rates has not been levied. I believe the new Rating Act now before the House includes the proviso that Maori land can be rated at the same figure as Pakeha owned land. The next reform should take forrp of meetings being held in our populace centres, Asking <pqf Parliamentary representatives 'to get legislation passed to enable us'to rate all Government ! hinds within our County for the purpose of ro'ad-making and pepidripg; This should serve a twofold purpose ; it would increase oijr rating area considerably,'and 'would prevent the Goverqnjeift from locking up from settlement large areas gf Jand y/ithin our boundaries that should be jij profitable use aifd occupation, partly prevent the purchase of jaftefg already ip pse, With its consequent land jobbing, or gamb: ling, fn fa v o}irite sections. I My next step woidd be in financial reform of a beneficial character. At present we pay Q QV 7 P?V cent on overdrafts to tho Bank of Now Zealand and we seldom have ii lower amount than a -£7OO average overdraft. This necessitates £)2 to £49 per annum in interest. On merging both Local Boards we should approach the Government with the object of borrowing,'' siiy, 000 for reeds and bridges/ f his coijld Jjq obtained at «jfb gbfesnt with sinking fund, aqd bquld be ‘spread over a series of years in the borrowing and spending locally. This means that by paying £3.50 per year fur 30 odd years wo could spend £IO,OOO on oJr roads now, and the £3,50 paid yearly for 30 odd years extinguishes principal and interest complete, Whc'r<=% bpr. fijfqsent system pf fjnappo re " qpifes with, say, a 4/9® oyefdi'aft/ the payment every year qf £'{Q or £qQ tofeother ivftn the full repayment of the 4759: SW B Ulster could be fully e^ m . ined botoe vote for it. You would require a u„ v . ± .. fied engineer appointed to superintend operations before the Government could lend you f he money; your roads properly formed, and when once formed, the roads ,could bo let in sections of so many miles yearly to settlers to keep in repair, with the alternative that if the contractor neglected his duty, the County Engineer stepped in and repaired the section at the contractor’s expense. This, I think, would solve the present unsatisfactory position and condition, give first-class roads at the lowest possible cost, and put a stop to all cause of complaint#. Remember, you must interest yourselves, send your best and ablest

men to represent yon, not men whose.sole idea as representative? rise no higher than the prevention of their neighbour in having a drain cleaned out, or the futile, or worse, shibboleth of Liberal or Tory tonus, utterly unfathomable to their narrow and constricted calibre. This, Mr Editor, is about all I could say at a public or other meeting on the subject. — I am, etc., ■ ,» N. A. Larxey. Lauriston, Morrinsville, 29th August, 1903.

To the Editor

Sir, —In your issue of 24th inst., is a reprint from the New Zealand Herald entitled “A Political Reject.” Now, Sir, I enclose copy of a part of Mr McCardle’s speech at Waiuku Hall taken from the same paper of 25th which I ask you in common fairness to give the same publicity. —I am, etc., W. C. Pickett. [Extract from N.Z. Herald, Oct. 25, 1905.] Fraxklix. ADDRESS BY MR McCARDLE. “ Mr McCardle, the Government candidate addressed a fairly large meeting on Monday night in the Waiuku Hall, Mr Hood presiding. He opened his address by referring to the action of the Herald in quoting from the Pahiatua Herald the account of his public record which was, he said, a tissue of inaccuracies. He explained that he was only beatonin the contest for Wairarapa by the wealthy people of Wellington driving up to vote. He lost the Woodville seat "by misrepresentation on the part of his opponents. He withdrew from the Wairarapa contest in 1890 at tho special request of Mr Ballauce, and at the Masterton election of 1893 he got a block vote at Nikau, although the Pahiatua Herald said no votes were recorded for him there. He quoted the Dairyman to the effect that though he had no chance of heating Mr Massey he was one of the broadestminded men in New Zealand.”