"TANGATA TIKA" AND THE DISSOLUTION OF THE BOROUGH.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2443, 8 March 1888, Page 2

"TANGATA TIKA" AND THE DISSOLUTION OF THE BOROUGH.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — Your correspondent " Tangata Tika" has made a great mistake in one letter of his nom de plume " Tangata Tika " is the maori for a correct, or truthful man but "Tangata Teka " represents the reverse ; after readine his letter 1 came to the conclusion that he should havo signed his name as "Tangata Teka." His letter starts off with the fact for the uninitiated that " it is an impossibility to break up the borough becauso neither tlio Waipa nor the SVaikato County Councils would bo willing to receive us with our debt of £6000," but of this amount "Tangata Teka " foreets to mention that £4000 is now lying iu the Bank of New Zealand, and that the balance of £2000 could without any insuperable difficulty be placed to the debit of the locality where expended. As to the attempt at a sneer at the "30 or 40 burgesses," the number of signatures to the petition when complete will be a sufficient answer. If Air " Tangata Teka " thinks he can obtain the signatures of a third of the burgesses to maintain the borough in its present state, why does he not start at once to get them ? I think that the burgesses have sense enough to hesitate before signing any document of the sort, and thereby authorising the " carpet baggers " now constituting the Borough Council to dribble away the £4000 laying in the bank. And now, Sir, to come to the first "signatory " (I presume signature is meant) to the " preoious document," who it is stated by the learned "Tangata Teka " lias not one pennyworth of interest in the borough. Does a mortgaged property, a quantity of goods unpaid for, or an overdraft at the bank, constitute a qualification to an interest in the borough in tho opinion of Mr "Tangata Teka ?" For over 17 years I have resided in Hamilton, expending during that time a largo income, and taking as much interest in its prosperity as I could consistently with my position as a Government officer. I see that this remark is not confined to me only, but also to othors signing "the precious documont.'' Remarks of this sort are not advisable in letters addressed to newspapers, as the opponents of tho petition may yet find out, if persevered in. One great object of tho petition is the return of the £4000 to those from whom it was obtained, so that it may not be frittered away on stookyards and other useless works, which, had they beon a paying speculation in Hamilton, would have been put up by the auctioneers years ago, and thereby save tho burgesses the prospect of a hoavy annual rate, as now prevails in New Plymouth, Oamaru and other places, the result of loans obtained for useless public works.—l am, &c, W. N. Skaranokk. P.S.—As, from the wording of his letter, the authorship of Mr " Tangata Teka's " epistle is more than suspected, it would be as well that ho should put his name to any future correspondence, unless he is ashamed of it,