To the Editor of the "Norta-Cnrxa Darcy News."
Sin,—As the time is rapidly draw. ing pear when the Annual Ratepayers'
opportunity of opening a discussion Meeting will take place, I take this which I trast may have " beneficial effect —I hope our worthy Chairman will allow his speech to be published before the meeting, as it will be the means of saving lot of valuable time.
.—I think it time the householder's vote be reduced to say Tls. 35.
3.—All men paying say $70 upwards for board and lodging should be. allowed a vote, if over the age of twenty-one years.
4.—Voting should be allowed to all efficient volunteers and firemen.
5.—More information should be granted to the public regarding Council meetings, if it is still thought inadvisable to admit the Pre-s to their general meetings.
6.—That proxy voting be disallowed.
Trusting cthers who have the welfare of the Settlement at heart will continue the discussion with beneficial results is the wish of A Rarepaver.
February 21.
To the Editor of the "Norts-Carws Datty News."
81n,—In view of the approach of the Annual Ratepayers' Meeting—our one legislative assembly—your columns a in former years are stilt no doubt the recognized medium of siring topics interesting to individual ratepayers with 1 view to ascertaining how far they meet]
eneral support. Thus your Jin this commanity does public for by this method time at the meeting is saved, such sired topics having been discussed and considered beforehand, Therefore I would suggest that the following items deserve attontion Our Bund promenade should be widened and not merely shifted nearer the water's edge. Increased use recently, especially in sammer, demands " wider pathway. I notice it is marked for moving nearer the river, but not for widening.
When will operation? the tramways be in Why should the Council consider itself a better judge of rental values than Landlords, who are usually looked on as well able to take care of themed To assess rentals at more than actual] h true rent paid by tenants, is to treat Landlords as demented incapables needing charitable interference to prevent them robbing themselves.
The Opium question and the veiled utterances of Sir Edward Grey also) deserve serious consideration, so that this community does not force outside interference rather than siding Home Governments to whom we often look for help.
Rates paid by outside districts, and, in fact by any district, should receive to fair extent a quid pro quo in the shape of decent roads, lighting and policing. Eastern and Northern district rates should not be spent on the Western suburb, considering the length of time formerly, when the latter was developed at the expense of the other districts, before its incorporation into the Settlement.
As far ax possible road development in new territory should precede bnilding to encourage people spreading themselves, thas avoiding and curing congestion.
Country roads should be metalled for half their width, as they are not made at the expense of the community for riding men only, who are " minority.
To invite candidates for election and when they come forward hurl sccasations of various sorts at their heads will not encourage others in future; for that reason I deprecate recent hap; ings. For the fature a Council fifteen with a third of its Salon retiring each year would be good thing tohim at. Nine members suited one hundred voters, bnt for efficiency nowadays with 1,600 voters and " town of half population a larger number is necessary.
Council Meetings should be open to voters with proviso giving power to Council to request withdrawal as at Licensing power is now and the Council under recent by-law could start taxing import and export merchants or any and every trade. This needs Tam glad to note that the Chairman la a recent letter to the Consular Body pointed out the benefits derived from greater publicity and more detailed minutes published daring 1907. This from the Council is a frank acknowledgement that fears expressed in former years and evils prophesied as likely to result from publicity were ill founded and I venture to think forms the best argument for further publicity and more light.
Finally, Sir, some explanation of how Council's land and buildings which two years ago were together as asceis Tls. 1,300,000 can have become separately each worth more than that amount needs not only an saditer's
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.