CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1064, 3 May 1882, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE GAS QUESTION,

To the Editob,

Sir.—Will you kindly allow me in selfdefence to correct a few statements made by Mr Vile in his letter on Saturday. That gentleman charges me with inconsistency with regard to the supposed report of the Gas Committee. In the first place this report is not the report of the Committee, but is simply Mr Vile's, and his alone. I could not possibly attend on the afternoon named for the meeting. and Mr Vile was tho only one there, Considering the Committee have waited five months for Mr Vile, he being the mover in the matter, he might I think have waited one day more, and have secured the presence of all the members of the Committee, The report, however, was left until very late, and then pushed through hurriedly, the information nil having been obtained by Mr Brown. K Mr Vile wished the report to stand as the Committee's report, why did he not get all members to sign it ?" Mr Vile did not sign it lumseli until he got into the Council Chambers on Tuesday night. I think the remarks about Councillors getting directors' fees are moro likely to to apply to Mr Vile himself than to any one else. A gas works started by Jhe Council would soon be filled up with' pets of Councillors'and all would be masters in a short time. The object the Council had in forming this committeo was simply to put the matter before the public. Jt •• was well known in the Council that it would not be done by them. Mr Vile wished to know why did tho Legislature give Municipal bodies power to raise Loans for gas purposes. It was simply because the electric light was not theii so prominently before the worM a'j it j§'' now, and had it beeij, I am satjsfipd that clause would nevor have been passed, It is more tlian likely that in two years the electric light will extinguish gas alto. gather, Gas would he a great convex ience to a portion of the ratepayers, but not to ratepayer's generally,' Before going into a loan for gas I think wa . I should pause, and ask ourselves it a loan for drainage is not staring us in the iaoe, and then say "Can we stand' tho two!" One is a necessity for the saWe of health, ' and tho other iB a luxury, I am quite willing to do anything tlntt would tost public feeling on the subject, but I ob-. : jeel to have uiy name lacked to a report. . I could not support, ana which I knew ■ ■'■ nothing about. lam&c, •Aimed Bish.

ST. MATTHEW'S ENTERTAINMENTS, TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—As the St. Matthew's scljpplropm entertammpnfs havo commenped again rather auspiciouely anil are likely to be well patronised, I would offer a suggestion which, if aoted upon, would tend to increase the popularity 6f this gathering - and bring to the management the willing assistance of several that stand'aloof at present; ' : Half of the proceeds should be devotod. to some charitable or public purpose. Charity always finds, plenty of objects'de- * serving its help. Or, if the money vtcb given to some local public purpose, a more... ? worthy (shall I say needy) object than our ~ Institute .could not bo found. Thelnsti-, •tuteis abenefittolhecommunity at,large r r and everyone that uses it ought 1 -to -con- |r tribute his share to make it a credit to'the '." .place. .....:.'; ■ ■•■,■'. -■■•■• lam, &c, n - r- ■''.-.'■"' ' ' ' Vox Pppiju,';■ .[The promoters of the entertainments"m 1 '" question Lave the sole right:,to; : [deter-r? . minette object on which the proceeds '■■'■'- should" be expended. Jhe, Institute., • does not look to an orgamaalion which '- is necessarily, denpminational in its charaoter for asaißtance.—Bd,' ! W.D.]