CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1829, 1 November 1884, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

(To the Editor,)

k ' Slit, —At the last meeting of the 5 East County Council notes were sent p to Mr Alexander and myself just be- , fore the breaking up of tho meeting r asking us individually if appointed ; would we go up and measure the , timber in the Mungapakeha Bridge. I Mr.Dawson'mettne in the street and ; give me the note, and wanted an , immediate answer. : lat once reoolleoted , that I had condemned the Engineer's i plan of the bridge ..and embankment at I the Waipoua, pnd from a delicacy of feeling on that account I at once deI clined the appointment, but after . thinking, the matter over I thonght I . had not treated the Council with that , cortesy which I ought to have done \ as I gave them no reason for my , deiosiqn, and as I could see it was only ; to determine a matter of fact Jpallod , at the Council Chambers and stated , my reasons to Mr Moore, clerk to the [ Council, and also that if the Council ; appointed me I would act, but I didu't t know until I read the report in the , Daily that my competency had been I doubted to measure the one span bridge and take out the quantities, and i that by Mr Duncau McGregor. Why , l)e was one of the seven unsuccessful . coutractqrs from whom, by my close , calculation, .1 snatcjietj a Qovernment , contract for JSHOQ. There was only , S9O difference between the six lowest . tenders, so it was not sp baq 1 . I have , also had a sawmill at the Tauern, and J. paid the men at per hundred feet ac-, ; cording to quality. I measured all j tho timber, kept all the accounts, and , have always been my own clerk, , manager,-and engineer,' Years ago Mr , McGregor supplied me with a very \ large amount of timber. It was of , first class quality, and according to contract. I have paid for it in cash , according to agreement, We have never had a difference in any way, all our transactions have been to our mutual satisfaction. We have taken one anothers word where other people sign agreements, and undoubtedly should again in private business transactions. When he first started as a representative man I was prquc} to see a young fellow hold his' own amongst his elders, and of course I vqted for him, and he got to the top of the ladder easy and quiok, but is losing his head and lam sorry to have to take him down a round or two. Now Mr McGregor, were you not afraid of me 1 You know the orders your firm has received from me were as plain as they possibly could be, and you could givea goodguessthe reporfcl should have made would be plain, definite, exact, and easily understood. I will now tell you some of your faults, As Chairman of the County Council you should have acted more impartially than you did acording to the report of the meeting in the Daily. There was a charge"' or complaint of a serious nature made to the Council, and it was your duty to have it thoroughly investigated. Councillors and their servants should stand before the public without any doubt or suspicion concerning their public acts and duties. Another matter the Council should have is a yard in Masterton and perhaps in other convenient places, and a stack of long stringers, also planks enough to cover a bridge, and a few light piles, so that in case of any damage from flood a temporary bridge could be put up 'at once. If V qu hrfd made this provision, two days was ample time to put up a bridge at the Waipoua or the Waingawa quite strong and safe enough to carry all the ordinary cart traffic. Floods are no unusual occurrences, and the Councilshould be prepared for them. If there was an accident on the line, a fine thing ; it would be to have to wait for rails tq qe'imported,- It i? at these times when Government should aot promptly.- In my opinion the Council is not doing wisely or justly in putting up the Wai- < poua by :day labor. It would be doqe ' better, cheaper, and quicker by contraot ' and besides it is not giving contractors | fair play.- A parting word about Mr , McGregor, sir, 1 do not question his « right to vote against my appointment,- ' it is the remarks he made.' ' I also ] think Mr G. Beetham said too 'much in ' ( his letter. Mr W. Beetham praised ( up Mr Alexander, I know he intended | to include me as well, only he did not t do it, as I have good reasons to know \ he must have a good opiniou, Sir I 1 have a lot more to say but will leave it ' to a more convenient season. In my remarks I have been careful not to pre- J judge this one span affair, but you will ' hear from me on kindred subjects very shortly, ' i] I am <bo., c William Francis. <

(To the Editor,)

Sir,—ln reading your issue of yesterday I noticed a letter in your columns signed '• Drone," (a very ap propriate nom dp plume), referring to the action of the Committee in no awarding the special prizes in. the Apiarian Class at ths coming Horticultural Show. Allow me to inform him' that it was me and not the Committee that'had the notice inserted, and as I am evidently the Committeeman alluded to in his letter, I wish to clear myself of any selfish motive for so doing. At the Committee meeting of the Horticultural Society, I asked if ike Society would give any eneourjge.'

raent of bee-keeping. A discuusion.ensued, and I was asked to bring up a report at next meeting, which I did, also reading the account of the Apiarian Class in (he Auckland Horticultural Society Show, and promising if the Committee would have an Apiarian Class inserted for the Autumn show I would collect special prizes for the different exhibits. The Committee acceded to my request, and approved of the catalogue which I took from the Australian and New Zealand Bee Journal, only making such alterations I thought would be more suitable to a small place like this. I then set to , work to obtain prizes with the understanding that they were not to be awarded until the Autumn show, and I am pleased to say that I was very successful. As to the Spring show being the proper time for Apiarian exhibits, I will quote from better anthority than " Drone's" on the subject, viz., that of the New Zealand Bee-keepers' Association, It was suggested at a general meeting of the Association that an Apiarian exhibition should be held in connection with the Auckland Agricultural and Pustoral Show held in November, but sufficient reasons were given to show it was,' out of- season, and that no timo was so suitable as March to hold an exhibition of that class, and as this Association is composed of all the niosfc experienced bee-keepers in the province of Auck-i land, I think they should know mow' 1 about it than "Drone." I do not: know why he- picks out two exhibits from the class that should be specially J shown in Spring unless it is because he has them to exhibit and thinks there is nobody to show against him. I would ask him how about movable comb hives now the swarming season is commenced, which people must have before they can use foundation comb. He evidently has nothing tq show in that line, Unfqrfcunalely the Committee cannot see their way clear to have separate catalogues printed for the Spring and Autumn shows, so the various exhibits are mixed up in a ridiculous manner in one catalogue. 1 thought when I gavu in the prize list it was understood that the Apiarian exhibition would not take place until the Autnmn show, and was to be thus specified in the catalogue, but finding it was not the case I went to the printers to liave it alt>ed, but I was }oo late, tl)e catalogue being already in print, so I took the first opportunity aftor the catalogue was issued to ratify tho mistake, which I thought it my place to do, as Icolleoled the prizes foi the Autumn show. If " Drono" is so anxious to exhibit, let him show for exhibition only, which I intend to do, and when the proper time comes he will find me quite prepared to show for competition, Apologising for trespassing 60 much on your valuable space, I am, &c, Thomas Dixon.