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Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 6, 2 July 1985, Page 3

Dear Sir, I was not surprised that the councillors were surprised at there being no objections to the proposal to increase Ohakune rates as reported in the local paper, The Mayor revealed the increase at- a council meeting reported in the Bulletin 30th April. The only percentage rise mentioned was an average of 32 or 33 percent. From that account nobody Would have been able to work out his individual rate increase. The "average rate" gives no indication of the rate to be paid by each ratepayer. My rates have increased by 62%. The increase is to cover estimates of $576,902. Regarding the state of the water, I have made complaints over the past four or five years and the reply has been, that if anything is to be done about it, it would have to be rated for. At a recent public meeting to discuss the state of Tawhero Street road surface, the meeting was told that nothing would be spent on it for about five years. We were told that money was required for "other priorities." We did have a short and fruitless discussion on the water problem. However, as Mayor Taylor in his Com-

munity Leaders' Column in the Bulletin on 25th June pointed out, the water supply must be upgraded. Could not these "other priorities" be shelved for a year and $200,000, a Health Department approximation, be spent on upgrading the water supply? That would still leave $376,902 for administration and "other priorities."

J.

Palmer