HAMILTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XII, Issue 992, 31 October 1878, Page 2

HAMILTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Sib, —In reference to a letter in your issue of the 2!) th instant, signed "I. E. Vialou, Mayor"—in which the writer has thought proper to place me as a target, and then discharge his tetrical invectives to suit his purposo,—l state at once that, under no consideration, will I allow myself to be drawn into a paper warfare on thinsrs pertaining to the Borough Council, as I advocate a:ad defend openly in Council any question, in my humble opinion, affecting the interests of the burgesses. Jf the Mayor feels his inability to stand in tho presence of the Council—if he has thought proper to reduce the mode of operating upon the funds under the control of the Council to a science, and exposure has overtaken him—he has himself to blame. Ihe resolution of tho Council, "to pay all legitimate expenses incurred by the Mayor in his official capacity," is, I submit, sufficient evidence of their desire to do ample justice. The character the Mayor has assumed since his advent to office has been that so vividly dosoribed by Gay in his fablo of the _ " Bear in the Boat." Tho word " Mistake " has characterised his political existence; tho word " lohabod" is the only one that will bo written, and that in charity, to mark his political demise.I am, iSjc,, Albert Pottek. Hamilton, October 30, 1878.

Sia,—l notice, in your issue of the 24th instant, a letter signed somewhat appropriately, " Ignoramus," at least he shows his ignorance in alluding to the native school at Karakariki as ever having been a flourishing ono. I know of nothing in the past history of tho institution to warrant tho expression. Looking at it from a Maori point of view, I dare say it might have been considered flourishing, when a sum of over £4OO was spent annually by the Government, ostensibly to feed and clothe the children, but went aotually. to buy flour and sugar for children of a larger growth and more capacious stomachs, whilst tho scholars were sent into tho bush (I suppose, to study botany) in the Tawera season, and woye happy on potatoes at other times. The Government paid so much a bead for those attending school, and it was truly wonderful, and eddifying in the highest degree; to see what a striving after knowledge there was by mere infants hardly weaned. On tho advent of the present Ministry, a new stato of affairs was inaugurated. Awbito schoolmaster Avas appointed, with « salary of £l5O a year, and tho schftlws have to pay a shilling a week fw books, so, instead of 40 or 50, there qro are now only eight attendants, and for a long time there were i\o,t so, many. If " Ignoramus" hail spent lo out of his 20 years experience noar this flourishing establishment, hi would havo been loss likely to have writton a scntonot) so misleading as tho ono I vofor to. As to other remarks in his letter, I havo Httlo to say. I dare say, a native school and a toaoher would be very acceptable to the business people of Whatuwhatu, whether they had been twenty years or live in business with the abused race. As to manners and cleanliness, of course, opinions differ widely. What might pa«a for cleanliness and good manners with your "Whatawhata Correspondent, inighjj not elsewhere.—l am, <S;c