ROAD MATTERS AT AWITU.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 162, 11 July 1899, Page 2

ROAD MATTERS AT AWITU.

(To the Editor.)

I Slr.-As a lover of truth kindly allow me i space for n few remarks re a report of a j public meeting at Awitu in the "Weekly j News" of June 16th. The petition referred to In said report was got up in a hole-and-corner way and sent round for sigmture* without first calling a public meeting. The report-"states-.-.,-that the district is too large, and the distance to travel to the Board's meetings has been a bar to getting a representative. Now, this northern portion of Awitu is at present and has for many years past been represented by at least two members in a body of five. On more than one occasion it has had three members. None of the present members consider the distance too far. 2nd—The report states that the petitioners desire to manage their own share of their rates, and, |no matter how-small to begin with, they are fully confident they can move by steady stages. Now, the chairman, Mr Hammord, at said meeting clearly stated that n:> er' tensive improvements would be attempted unless by Government grants. An old recipe for cooking a hare is, first catch it. It is to be regretted, but truej that some of our ratepayers are renowned for signing any petition that comes along, and often regret it afterwards. It is also trne that a great many are very ignorant in road board affairs. As a proof a number are now petitioning to have their names erased from the petition. Further the report states that the figures of expenditure professed to be extracted from the ratebook had been distorted. I believe, the figures referred to are those read by me to Mr Hammond. I here challenge the writer of said report to prove they are riot correct. The report of this meeting concludes by stating that the petition was adopted by a large majority. Again I challenge this statement, as. no motion of any kind was put to the meeting; in fact, I am informed that the chairman (Mr Hammond) stated that this meeting was not called for the purpose of any motion being moved. "The truth stands longest." No matter how well meaning Mr Hammond and followers may be, an. able authority in road board affairs here states that : they would land themselves in a hole. AndT and many others here object to go into a hole before our time. Notice the rate this year for the whole of this northern portion, sixteen square miles, is less than £25, while the debt attached is very heavy, it would be the ruin of this part to'cut it apart from the older and' more valuable lands. So we say our strength lies in union or co-opera-tion.— i am, etc., ALEX. MORRISON. Pleasant Valley, Awitu, July 9, 1899.