DIGGER'S LETTER BOX.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 28, 24 September 1920, Page 8

DIGGER'S LETTER BOX.

FARMER.

MORE

LIGHT.

(To the Editor.) Sir, — While appreciating very much the information given by you in your comments on the Electric Power Board, I think I am expressing the feelings of nine. tenths of the community in asking you to publish the evidence and let the people themselves form their own opinion. Most of the ratepayers have a fair education and are capable of gathering from the documents how it affects their own interests. That this is asking a good deal from you, I admit, but your readers would appreciate it I am sure, and I do not see any reason for the Board refusing you the information for that purpose. The agreement between the Board and the Engineers, is surely a matter which the ratepayer^. have a right to know the terms of. The Power Board is a public body and if its actions are honest, what need — to say nothing of what right — has it to conceal anything? How is it financing the payment of thousands of poundg when the loan has not been negotiated ? Is it committing the ratepayers to the tender mercies of some institution repayable at call or next thing to it. Why do the ratepayers not know what the arrangement is? Would it do any harm to disclose this, and if so, harm to whom, the bank, the ratepayers, or the Board? Then there is the rumoured amendment sought to be made in the Power Board Bill, to enable the Board to spend money in a manner at present barred. The rate. payers' interests are safeguarded by the Bill as it stands now. The vote was taken on the strength of these restrictions and the Board was elected under these conditions. It now seeks power from Parliament to do what the ratepayers never authorised and which the Board lack even the courtesy to let them know what al- . teration they seek. The principle is vicious and opens the door to every kind of abuse. If the Chairman and members of the Power Board would only reflect for a moment on the injustice they are doing them. selves by their star-chamber method of doing their business, they would remedy it at once. Diplomacy may be a very agreeable art when a foreign nation is at the other end of it, but from a ratepayer's point of view, it is a detestable praetice when he is at that end. Hoping, Mr Editor, that the Board in its interests will frankly place at your disposal all the terms etaoin shrdlu cmfwyppppp the items in which the ratepayers are interested and that it is duly grateful for the servico which you have rendered it in seeking to remove the wideepread distrust existing between it and the rate-

payere. — I am, etc.

(To the Editor.) Sir, — Allow me to congratulate your paper on its achievement in breaking the long silence of the Power Board. It seems quite evident that the press outside the "Digger" haa faiiid in its duty in this matter. It has been most noticeable that the daily papers were quiek to defend the Board against criticism, but were not eag. er to supply the public with any material which would enable inteffigent criticism to be made through the correspondence columns. One thing I should like to know. Have the Board any means of taking a fair per centage of the unearned incremenl coming to the people who own the land alongside the roads which are now being made. Is it not a fact that one or two ratepayers in the Wallace County will benefit to the extent of thousands of pounds ? It would ako be interesting to know if any of the Leaseholders in the Waiau Valley have converted their holdings to freehold lately it would have been only a fair business proposition for Fne Board to have approached the ratepayers who were Senefiting most largely from the road-making operations; to obtain a subsidy. If I understand the position aright the Board has delegated its powers to Mr Rodger and he in tuni has handed them over to the Engineer. What a howl there would be if the Borough Council handed over the administration of the* town to the Town Clerk. Y'et this would be on all fours with the position of the Power Board to-day. In the meantime, I trust you will continue digging np information. — I am,

etc.'