Couple trash council manager's desk

An Invercargill couple told to pick up rubbish in their street did just that - then dumped it on a council manager's desk.

The Carsons were unhappy the council would not clean up rubbish in their street which had fallen out of overloaded and upturned wheelie bins, The Southland Times reported.

They said the bins were too small and couldn't stand up to the wind.

But Invercargill City Council solid waste manager Tom Greenwood said the bin size was comparable with those used in other cities, that people were also responsible for knocking them over and suggested the Carsons pick up the rubbish.

"In the interests of being good citizens ... I would have thought you would wish to keep your environs in a tidy condition," he said in a letter.

The Carsons did just that, then dumped two bags of waste on Mr Greenwood's desk.

"We pay rates to have the council clean things up," Carol Carson told the newspaper.

"Why should we be the ones to go out and do their job for them?"

- NZPA