CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3161, 13 April 1909, Page 5

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor. Sir,—-Cr Hunter, by his letter of the Bth inst., has succeeded in showing a pitiful ignorance of Borough finances. In the first place he says that he "presumes" that the £763 17s 3d passed for payment at last meeting would be a deduction from the £2,038 14s 7d saved on overdraft. IE he were at all familiar with the finances of the Borough he would know that the bulk of this £763 17s 3d is chargeable to the- various loan accounts which have nothing whatever to do with the overdraft on general account. In the next place, he attributes the substantial reduction in overdraft to the fact that the Council has received an increased revenue over last year, but carefully omits to tell ycu of the corresponding demand upon the Council's revenue for interest and sinking fund on the £25,000 loan and other extraordinary expenditure. He also seems to be-- painfully ignorant of the fact that the increase in the revenue received this year is due to the Council'! diligence in getting in arrears and current year's income, instead of allowing them to accumulate, as in former years. Cr Hunter also forgot 'to tell your readers that he himself voted for the rate that produced the revenue, and also voted for the instruction to the Treasurer to proceed to collect such>ate. He also forgot to tell you that the water rate collected this year (which by special resolution was collected on exactly the same basis ab former years), was made with Cr Hunter's full knowledge, acquiescence, and consent. After voting for it, he waits till the eve of the election, and then calmly writes: —"This water, rate is worthy of the serious attention of ratepayers, and now is the time to enquire into the matter, as I consider it a gross injustice to ratepayers," etc. It is a pity, for his own sake, that he didn't find this out before he voted for it, as I imagine the eve of the election is somewhat late to repent. Apparently, Cr Hunter has placed himself on the horns of a dilemma. these matters are wrong, why did he vote for them? If they are right, why does he complain? Cr Hunter is, strange to say. disappointed because the Council (of which he is a member) has been able, by keeping down expenditure within reasonable limits, and collecting its income to show a fairly substantial reduction in its overdraft. Last year, when seeking offica, he complained of the enormity of the overdraft. This year he complains because there is substantial reductien! Some men are wonderfully easy to please.—l am, etc., P. L. HOLLINGS," '