CORRESPONDENCE. MR EWINGTON AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3212, 11 June 1909, Page 5

CORRESPONDENCE.

MR EWINGTON AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

(To the Editor). Sir,—Mr Ewington's earnest advocacy of closer settlement at the last meeting ofjthe Chamber of Commerce was a most commendable feature of the meeting, yet it met with but little sympathy from " some of the leading commercial lights of th:t body. Their argument against "tl e proposition was thin and flimsy. Mr Ewmgton's proposal of closer S2ttl>ment was coupled with the much required extension of roading. The latter proposition was ably supported by the'leading lights referred to, but the closer settlement was vigorously condemned on account of its being a political matter. Now if roadr g and closer settlement are not tw.n brothers, and should not be advocated for together on the same politic. 1 platform it seems to me to be a ve y queer thing indeed. But if the truth must be told, the leading lights referred to did not support the proposal because they did not understand it. Anyone who has witnessed the effect of closer settlement on a town knows its value, but in Masterton the question had been "fought shy" of from the Member downwards or upwards, if you Jike! It has been called a "political" question, when it is nothing of the sort, and when estates have actually been offered to the Government, and when it"was common knowledge that there were otner estates, practically, in the market there was not enough influence in the electorate, or it was not used, to persuade the Government to help this struggling town. Thus it comes about that the Chamber of Commerce considers tnafc roads and bridges are a very different matter not at all a political affair. Mr Ewington was advised by them to leave the matter of closer settlement to the Hon. A. W. Hogg. Mr Ewington may do so if he chooses, but I won't. We have had eighteen years'political froth about closer settlement for Masterton; but. where is that closer settlement? Goodness only knows, I don't. There are, at the present time, over a hundred empty houses in Masterton, which must pay rates and taxes, but no rent! The time is coming, and will come soon, when the people of Masterton will perforce be compelled to assist themsleves, and demand closer settlement, and have it, too. The present unsatisfactory state cannot last much longer. It would be good for Masterton, if we had many more men of Mr Ewington's type. I understand twenty-three men of the Borough staff were recently "dis« charged, which only leaves a work* ing staff of eight men, including the drivers. This means an additional emptying of houses. If the small land holders and small business men cannot see the deplorable position they are drifting into, they will very shortly feel it, and keenly* too. It seems to mo that nothing short of a cyclone of depression of hard times will remove the blinding scales from the eyes of the people of Masterton. Although I have no immmediate desire, thank God, I hold myself ready to endow Masterton with an additional empty house.—l am, etc., PRO BONO PUBLICO.