DISTRICT SEVERANCE.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 107, 27 July 1877, Page 3

DISTRICT SEVERANCE.

——o TO THE EDITOR OF THE AKAROA MAIL. Sir, —I was rather pleased at seeing Mr Latter's letter in which he touches upon the above subject. His opinions are always entitled to respect. While agreeing with him in thiaking that the time may not be very far distant when all the cost of roads must be borne by the ratepayers alone, at the same time I cannot but think that this Bhould he rather a strong ftason with the people of this part in favom of separation, for if we do not get our roads formed before the evil day comes what likelihood is there of its being done then, judging by the action of the Road, Board in the past in dealing with its public monies; for I think it i 8 one of the I first principles of colonisation, when the land is sold, that a sufficient part of the proceeds of it (apportioned according to area and-- the requirements of the people settled on it) should go to make the necessary roads to and through it, and when this is done, let the rates from it keep them in repair. I think we are more likely to get this done by separating than by remaining connected with the old districts, and though it is Very true, as a general rule, as Mr Latter says, that union is strength, yet it is not always so. The union of discordant elements is not strength, and though it may be a matter for regret, it must be apparent that all is not harmony between this side and the other. In fact there is that identity of interests (in road board matters) which must form the basis of all union; while by separating we unite two outlying portions of two districts, and thus Ifio'away with the difficulty there is about

' spending those special grants voted for certain works there, and about which both Road Boards se«ra very apathetic* Indeed some of the members appear as it they would he very much pleased to see these grants expended somewhere else. -By your report of the Road Board meeting,'l. see' Mr Williams thinks we have been getting much more than our due share froiu the Road Board. There ought to be something to show for it, whereas the Board out of its general funds- has not formed a single chain of dray road—and very little of any other sort of track—on this eide the harbour. What has been done, and that up till now is not much, has been by special grant. The report on the Wainui road by the overseer to the Board is in marked contrast with Mr Williams's statement. Almost from beginning to end it is a broken culverts and impassable portions cf road, which cannot be made passable till winter is over, and when summer comes, will be allowed to remain as before, for in the matter of repairs here the Road Board acts very much like the proverbial Irishman did in dealing with his leaky roof—when it rained, it was too wet for him to do anything to it, and when it was fine, sure it didn't want anything. It was a pity that Mr Williams, in making his remarks, should have imputed sordid motives to those who convened the French Farm meoting, for when one sees a man too ready to impute unworthy motives to others in accounting for their actions, one is apt to suspect that he himself would be actuated by those very motives in a similar position "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." From what I know of Mr Williams, however, I do not think it is so in his case. He reasoned rather, that because the members of the Road Board were almost always men who resided on the main road on his side, and who neglected the back parts of the district (and I appeal to the people of Long Bay, _c., if this is not so) therefore the same must occur on this 6ide ; but I think he is wrong in his inference. I am, &c, WAINUI.