COORESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3021, 19 October 1908, Page 5

COORESPONDENCE.

(To the Editor). Sir, —That was a very interesting letter in Saturday's "Age," from the pen of "A.H."—very interesting indeed, also very instructive and well calculated to set all right-thinking electors studying the problem of "Prohibition and depression." True there is a small discrepancy in "A.H.'s" figures, when he puts the increase in the water rate at £250 to £3OO, but surely no one would blame "A.H." for a trifling mistake of about a thousand pounds, when he is writing on behalf of such a noble cause. Everybody, too, must sympathise with an owner who has four houses, two of which are empty, and with the danger of another going and no chance to drown his sorrows in the flowing cup. Oh, yes! "A.H.'s" letter is really good, but then he must have the—what's his name's—own luck, for he has got 50 per cent, of his houses empty now, and expects to lose another tenant which will make 75 per cent, of them vacant, but when "no-license" comes there will only be 25 per cent, empty. I cannot follow his reasoning, but he must be right. -But why "A.H." has such a contempt for boardinghouses and dreads long Sundays, is not properly explained in his letter. And why he hankers after a "big general rate, water rate, drainage rate, and special loan rate," or what they have to ds with loss of license revenue of £3OO, is not shown. The inference is that "A.H." has some experience in putting the rating screw on simpleminded ratepayers, or he would hardly hold out that kind of threat to electors, Takiria the letter of "A.H." "by and large" it is not a very bit of special pleading for the brewers, and will convince a good many (which may be "A.H.'s" intention) that the best thing to do to save money in order to pay rates and bills in the coming hard times is to "strike out the top line. "—I am, etc., ' ' - M. E. I