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Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2489, 23 June 1888, Page 2

Mr Mandexo's letter in another column is written in just that spirit of captiousness which aggravates the difficulties our representatives have to contend with in dealing with the question of retrenchment. The majority of the people, not only in this district, but throughout the colony, arc in favour of retrenchment rather than an increase of taxation. Our articles upon the reduction of train servicc generally have been penned in the interest of the former ; they were not intended simply to apply to Waikato but to the colony as a whole, and we are gratified in having the support of every one whom we have heard express an opinion on this subject, that wo wore justified in rceommeuding the alteration, and even a atillfnrther reduction, if found necessary. If Waikato generally was not prepared to bow to the exigencies of the State, Mr Maudeno'e quotation would apply to ourselves, arid we have no right to

expect others to be more solf-sacrilicing than we are. We have not failed hitherto to reflect the feeling of Waikato on public questions, and we distinctly disclaim advocating anything whatever for the purpose of advancing one section of the community at the expense of another. A great principle is involved in this question, and we claim to have advocated what is right, putting to one side the narrow issues the writer of the letter most unwarrantably indicates. We have consistently urged that the cost of our administration is out of all proportion to our revenue, we have pointed out the most glaring extravagances coming more immediately under our own supervision, for which our efforts have been called iuquestion because, it is insinuated, the proposed change may effect one section of the district and not another.