STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 June 1916, Page 3

STRATFORD.

NEWSPAPER CRITICISM. RESENTED BY COUNCILLORS. (From Our Own Correspondent) At Monday night's meeting of the Stratford Borough Council, the article appearing in the Daily News on June 3 was the subject of comment by several councillors. Cr. Thompson set the ball rolling uy moving the'adoption of the Works Com-, mittec's report, and, in his remarks, said he had seen a dismal report in the Daily News on the state of the streets and footpaths of the borough. The article did not in any way represent the state, of the borough. Another correspondent said in the next issue of the paper that tlie article had evidently done good, because the councillors had been around the previous day making an inspection of the borough. He wished to say that the inspection had been decided on long before the par. in the paper appeared. The councillor, with some "warmth, said the article was unworthy of criticism. It was a piece of impertinence.

Cr. Mills said he had been around the town looking through the work that the borough employees had done, and it seemed to him that the Stratford correspondent was trying to belittle the town. He certainly took exception to flic correspondent writing in this strain, and he would like to point out the inconsistency of the correspondent. In one part of the article he took exception to the engineer doing work that was not authorised by the Council, and then in the very next breath wanted to know why the engineer did not carry out the necessary works without waiting for the Council. Then the councillor, as a parting shot, addressing his Worship, said: '•Go through and read it, and you will find it absolutely tommy rot. The correspondents do not know what they art writing about."

His Worship said no one should object to fair criticism. In connection with the engineer doing work not authorised, it was the duty of the engineer to go from one end of the borough to the other and put the streets and footpaths in order, and no councillor should take exception to this, It was not possible with the funds at their disposal to keep down the grass in the streets and channels in the borough. The Council had had a lot of concrete work done by the stafi, and had been done considerably cheaper than if outside contractors had done it, and naturally other works in the borough had been neglected. At the present time the roads in Stratford were in splendid order. He had to admit, however, that the footpaths needed attention. He did not object to fair criticism. There was one portion of the correspondent's article that referred to water running over the footpath near St. Mary's school. This was attended to the. very next morning and pipes put in immediately. There was no need for worry, as everything was going along all right. They must not forget that they did not have the revenue to spend last year, owing to the municipal buildings being destroyed.

Cr. Mills: I pi not finding fault with the engineer, but with the correspondent in the Daily Xcws and his inconsistency. His Worship: I thought you said the engineer was doing work not authorised by the Council. I see, you are trying to point out the inconsistency of the Daily News correspondent. a

Cr. Lawson: I want to compliment the engineer upon what he'bus done. As regard.-, the correspondence, I treat it with contempt.

Cr. Young' said in had never seen the correspondence, but ''e "nnsidered the streets and footpath. ,v ""o better than they had been for tin ' ■•■ '0 years. Cr. Voung was understuo.. ; i ':■ --omething further, but if he did si i: v 'i» not nudible at the-press table. The matter then dropped.