CORNER PROBLEM.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 256, 1 December 1930, Page 8

CORNER PROBLEM.

W. HANNAH.

WILLIAM HANNAH.

(To the Editor.) * Sir, — After a very lengthy delay, the Napier Borough Council has .at last divulged the details of the cost, compensation paid, and the amounts contributed by the owners of property in connection with the splaving bacic of dangerous corners. On November 4 I asked in a letter, which was publisli in vour journal 011 the 5th., inter alia, "That there is more in this matter than meets the eye, a partially blind person can see." I have never refused to make a contribution towards the* cost of splaying .back tbs corner of my property iu ' Gladstone road. On the contraiy, I Have offered 011 several occasions to eontribute on tlie same basis as otkers have contributed, whose corners have been splayed back, and the following sumnianes set out below have beeu compiled from the long delayed information which I received from the town clerk 011 the 28th instant, to whom L have sent th© following in renlv thereto. . iy (Gopy of letter.) 28th November, 1930. The Town Clerk, Napier ..Borough Council, Napier. Dear Sir, — I have to aeknowledge tlie receipt of yours of the 27th. inst,, for which I thank you. The followin" summaries are made up from the figures you have furnished to me, and I now reqnest your council to decida which sumniary it desires to accept aa an equitable and honourable settlement of this ques'tion. No. 1 sumniary.—1 Total cost of improvements, £2583 16s 6d and £462; total £3045 16s 6d, Amouiit "of compensation paid.— £462. Amount paid hy owner of property towards cost of work done, £29 0s 6d. The ratio of £29 0s 6d to £3045 16s 6d is 95 per cent., therefore the amount due on. £28 6s 4d equals five shillings and six-. pence. No. 2 sumniary.— Improvements with, compensation. Cost £971 3s 4d and £462 ; £1433 3s 4d. Compensation paid, £462. Pfiid by owner, nil, Taking the same ratio faetor ,95 on £1433 3s 4d tlie amount of £28 6s. 4d equals two shillings and sixpence. — Yours, * faitkfnlly,

■ (Signed) '

. Now, sir, wliat has been behind the action of Crs. Martin and Bedford in their attempt to place me in sueh an invidious position? I now request thein -to state whether, is it a fact that they .were sent by the Mayor of Napier on two occasions, to attempt to force me mto a position to make a contribution towards the cost of this publie work, both of them knowing that only one voluntary contribution had' been made jointly by several property owners in Hukarere road? Where are tbef grounds for Cr. Bedford stating at a meeting of the coimcil on the 3rd instant that Mr Hannah was the only "snag" he.had met? Such conduct on ihe part of any publie body represetitative is not only reprehensible, it is wieked. Here are two councillors who know that £3045 has been spent -on this publie work. They both knew that six people out of 21 have received compensation, not one bf whom lias paid a penny towards the Cost: of" the improvements at their property', wliile the total cost of work done at tliree of these corners has cost no less than £888, and yet an attempt has been made to force me into a position of paying a large part of the miserahla amount of £28, the total cost of the work done at my property, and I have not asked for nor received any compensation -for land taken.. _ I now, charge those two councillors with wast- • ing publie money on this job. I requested them. not to proceed with it, stating at tlie time unless the opposite corner at the junctiou of Gladstone road and Hadfield Terrace was splayed back no real advantage would he gained; In the.- face of these facts, the least . that can now be done qu the part of.the Mayor and council is to tend to me a publie apology for Uaving dared to publisli a statement "that wofk had been done at the corner of my property which has not been approved by the council and for which I agreed to pay tlie cost." ■Sir, this is only another illustration of the breadth of view of the council. Let m© remind them that, had they shown one thousandth part of this over zealonsness to abstract from the writer the paltry siua of 5s .6d cr 2s 10d', to the protection of the pnblio moneys in _ their charge, and for which. they are jointly and severaly responsible, the embezzlement of a tew thousand pounds of such money could liot have taken place. This, will hold for a while. Like all other matters, it can be dealt with later. Thanking you. for the liberal use of your columns/— I am, etc..

Napier, November 29th, 1930.