TOWN BOARD TACTICS.

Waipukurau Press, Volume I, 30 March 1906, Page 2

TOWN BOARD TACTICS.

[To the Editor.] Sib, —It came as a surprise to a good many to see by the report of the Board’s meeting that appeared in your last issue that the Town Board carried unanimously a resolution in favour of the retention of the afternoon train that gives special facilities to the Hatuma and Waipukurau residents to go over and do their shopping at Waipawa, especially on stock sales days, when this train enables the many visitors from the south to get away to Waipawa directly the sale is over, do their business there, and then return home by the 5.25 train; whereas if the train was discontinued by the Department, who say it is being run at a loss, they would, remain and do their shopping at Waipukurau. The agitation for the retention of the afternoon train is naturally very strong in Waipawa,. where the tradespeople, especially Williams and Kettle, who are- just opening a branch there, recognise fully what a great advantage this train is to them iu bringing customers from Hatuma and Waipukurau, and how they must chuckle at the wonderful and unheard of generosity of our Town Board in playing into their hands and supporting them in the matter. The chairman, in moving the resolution, is reported to have said that he would rather see one of the other trains stopped than the afternoon one. Now, as he cannot mean either of the through trains, he must have meant one of the trains that stop here for the night. It was a remarkable thing that not one of our Town Board voiced the real interests of the local trade in this important matter ; they all went straight for the Waipawa business interest, which will not be forgotten by those interested. Another matter that wants ventilating is that in spite of the fact of our now having a local paper which it is to the interest of the Town to support, the Town Board quite unnecessarily puts its advertisements also in the Waipawa paper, thus showing its determination to support with the ratepayers’ money as well as by its resolutions the trade interests of Waipawa ; and they of Waipawa show their appreciation of these noble actions of our Board by not advertising in our local paper or spending a copper with our business men, they wisely thinking that it is best to keep all the money they can in their own township, as well as to get all they can from the adjoining districts, whilst the present motto of the Waipukurau Town Board evidently is “ Advance Waipawa! ’* —I am. etc., Local Tbade. [We desire to say that in the matter of advertising this paper has been fairly treated by the Town Board.—Ed.]