TEMUKA TOWN BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2272, 27 October 1891, Page 2

TEMUKA TOWN BOARD.

TO THE EDITOR. Sm, —As I was reading a copy of the Tesiuka Leader dated October 13th, I noticed a letter Ixeaded “ Asphalt,” in which a ratepayer complains of the manner in which the contract was let. Now I think it is time that the ratepayers should make a stand to protect themselves against the way their money is being spent, Not very long ago there was a lot of something put on the Main Road, resembling shingle, which cost the ratepayers something like £7O, the board giving Is 6d per yard and no tenders being called for the same. It would have been done for Is or Is Id per yard, therefore the ratepayers paid about 25 per cent, more than they should have done. Nor is this all. Some little time ago tenders were called for shingling, and it appears one tender was accepted at Is 3d per yard including spreading. But this did not suit, as that was keeping a man idle, so they gave it to another man at Is 3d per yard and gave another man 3d or more per pard for spreading, so the man made about 10s per day, as he already had a contract from the board. There is another little item. A well was sunk in one of our streets at considerable expense, but no water is in it—so the fire brigade tell us—so this is engineering with a vengeance. Possibly the engineer has heard of the Mexican rainmaker, and j is waiting for him to give us a call one Jl day. Now I think it would be only fair for the members that comprise the board to pay for some of the items out of their own pockets, as they manage the ratepayers’ money in such a loose manner, But as the ratepayers have no chance of meeting the board at their annual meeting I think it would be wise to hold a public meeting of ratepayers, when ratepayers would be able to dipuss matters more fully.—l am, etc., A teipAysß, Temufca, ’