LOWER MANGOREI ROAD MATTERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 278, 21 May 1912, Page 6

LOWER MANGOREI ROAD MATTERS.

To the Editor. Sir,—Upon looking over your issues of the past fortnight, which have gathered during an absence from home, I notice, a letter dated the Bth hist., over the name of W. G. Stanton. This writer I take to be Mr Stanton, late chairman of the now defunct Mangorei Road Board, since he identifies himself in his letter by the use of the words "my residence" when referring to the stray stock incident as recorded' on Ist inst:, by your "Own Correspondent,"' and which Mr Stanton seems to be in such umbrage over. I am very much surprised at Mr Stanton's attitude, and the nasty reflections with which he punctuates 'his letter. It is to me astonishing and disappointing that a public representative should be so absolutely deficient in public-spiritedness as to limit his view to the cramped scope of paltry per-

sonalities so aspersively and acrimoniously directed against your "Own Correspondent" for merely having made authoritative statements about "longpaddock" graziers, and for having interestingly referred to local progressiveness and probable improvements that augur good in the near future for local public affairs. Boiled down, Mr | Stanton's irritation and sustained ti- ] rade seem to principally emanate from J resentment at allusions made to the frequent way in which certain stock has, until the near past, grazed upon | the Mangorei road, t" the annoyance and displeasure of res nts and travellers. The attempted derisive mood of Mr Stanton when he somewhat callously refers to the accident which occurred opposite his residence, is a mood that reflects against himself. After stating J that the victim must have been travelling at night without a light, it is added that he must have fallen over his own shadow! Now, Mr Editor, any even of those "long-eared" animals alluded to by Mr Stanton would surely nave enough "savvy" to understand that without n light there eouli be no shadow! Now where does the'derision come in? Anyhow, let us be men, and put childish bickering aside. The object of your "Own Correspondent" all through has evidently been to draw public attention to possible publicj improvements, and to bring such subjects openly and fairly under the consideration of those who in a true public spirited way hold the public interests in trust. This trust the majority of us Mangorei residents are thankful to say is now in the hands of our county councillors, and we may ■ safely leave it to their sound sense ■ and sagacity to discriminate between : public policy and "soft'soap." Here Mr ; Stanton seems to stumble himself, and j get both confused and confounded as to i! the Daily News columns being made the i J medium of "ventilation." It is a source > j of «omfort and solace to all to know, : Mr Editor, that your good grace is ever ' extended to any matter calculated to ', effect a public benefit, or to correct ft ) public nuisance.— l am etc., BENONI WHITE. ) Lower Mangorei, May 20, 1912.