Correspondence.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVI, Issue 43103, 11 June 1907, Page 2

Correspondence.

;Ve do not ho 1 cl ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.

[To the Editor,]

Si a, —I am getting sick of this useless controversy, but I cannot help replying to the untruthful and scurrilous letter in Saturday’s paper from “ A Parent.” I can easily see now by whom these anonymous letters are written or prompted, and will at once a(ward) him the palm for ignorant stupidity. When I was elected a member of the School Committee I did not think I should become an object for a sable-hearted “jackdaw” to peck at, but as I was always taught to return “ good for evil,” I only say “ May God forgive that ‘ Parent ’ his sins.” I have received, through the post, a letter from the Rev. Dukes, for which I am very thankful, and which I now enclose and ask you to publish as it will explain itself.—l am, etc., M. Croxin, Chairman School Committee. Te Aroha, June 6th, 1907. The Chairman of the Manawaru School Committee.

Dear Sir, —Permit me to thank you for your courteous reply to my letter. I should have much pleasure in calling upon you and talking over the subject of this correspondence, but there appears no necessity for me to come out on purpose as I am persuaded that both you and the committee will see that no hindrances are put in the way of Sunday-school. I don’t know who the anonymous corrrspondent is for I never write under a non de plume, but being told last Saturday that two of the committee would visit the school fund see for themselves and report to your next committee meeting, I was quite satisfied. —I am, dear sir, yours faithfully, J. Dukes.

[To the Editor] Sir, —My attentention was drawn to a letter in the “Te Aroha Mail ” on Borough Finance, signed by W. IP. Windsor. After reading that letter I wondered whether I was living in New Zealand or Russia, where the wealthy man is top dog all the time. Here is a wealthy man who owns a twenty-two roomed house, valued by himself at £750. (I wonder if ho is paying rates at that valuation, and if not, why P) He complains most bitterly at the way he is rated on his property —I am giving you his own figures for the twenty-two rooms, and tells us he is charged £1 7s a year for water. Here am I, a working man, with a four-roomed house, and I have to pay £1 a year for what water I use. At the very best this wealthy man must use for his boarding-house twenty times more water than I do. Is it because this man is a capitalist and I a working man that this great difference is made between a four-roomed and a twenty-two-roomed house, viz., seven shillings. TV. H. Windsor has another complaint! He informs us he is charged £1 a year for a lamp. Now, sir, for my little place I am charged £1 for a lamp which we only use for a few hours at night, while the wealthy man uses his light at all hours. Now, Mr Editor, is it fair that I should be taxed to keep this wealthy man in the big boarding-house ? Is it right that the working man should pay to run this township for a monied man like W. H. Windsor \ Mr Windsor is very strong - on finance, and he complains that the Borough Council does not know its business in this important branch of thoir administration. He also has a grievance against the Town Clerk, Mr Fred Wild. Now, sir, it is a well-known inaxium that two financiers can never agree, more especially if one of them is a tax celleotor. I think those of the ratepayers who kriow Mr Wild will endorse what I say, that he honestly earns all he receives, and we are quite sure he can account for the money that passes through his hands. In conclusion, I feel very indignant at the unjust way I am rated, after the revelations made by W. 11. Windsor. —I am, etc., Ratepayeb.