LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 12, 21 August 1984, Page 2

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Young vegetables thanked A short letter of praise to the children of the Ohakune Primary School. Their participation at the Promotions Association luncheon on Thursday was nothing short of outstanding. With only a couple of days notice they treated the town to a fine display of their ingenuity and creative talents. The only shame was that we had to choose a winner out of so many excellent designs. My praise and thanks goes out to all those children present, and their parents, for a great line-up of vegetables. T. Drayton Rates and footpaths In a recent edition of the Wanganui Chronicle, I read that the Ohakune Borough Council had kept their rate increase to an average of 9.8%. Someone in the Council office must be worse at maths than I am or perhaps the battery is flat in my calculator and my brain. I received a rate demand for $405.5 1 . Last year it was $261.00 for a 1012sq.m. section 'up at the junction' but not in the Tourist Development Zone. It is without a view of the mountain, but more importantly in this climate, it is without a drive-on access and without a footpath. The grass verge that should be a safe footpath, was dug up in March by the Post Office staff and left in a rough state for the Council to improve. I am still waiting for this work to be done! I had hoped that our newly-elected Borough Councillors, who promoted public safety and improved street access, would have made some impression on the Works Committee,: so that pedestrians' CQifcplaints

about footpaths would no longer be necessary. It is nice to think that visitors passing through our main street will be able to gaze in wonder at New Zealand's largest carrot. How much time and effort have our conscientious elected representatives spent debating this matter? Will they spend as much time considering the public requirement of 'value for money' in respect of their rate demands? Will they find some way of making the streets a safer place for all residents? Will they set up a committee for the 5 year review of the town plan? Will they keep out of TowaPlanning appeals and spena the money saved on new footpaths? Puss-in-Boots Editor's note Letters will be printed where relevant and within the bounds of good taste and legality. To help us find space to print them please keep them to fewer than 200 words. Where nom-de-plumes are to be used, the letter must also be signed and show clearly the name of the writer. The letter must also contain an address or contact number in case it is necessary to check back on some point raised in the letter but these details will remain confidential and will not be published. Preference will always be given to letters bearing the name of the writer.