ROAD MAINTENANCE.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15769, 9 December 1916, Page 5

ROAD MAINTENANCE.

TO THE.EDITOII OF "TEIE VEESS/' i Sir, —As chairman of the Kowai County, I wish to reply to a letter which appeared in your issue of December oth. under the heading of "Road Maintenance," and signed "Buick." Some of the insinuations made are almost an insult. As chairman, I nave during the year attended twelve ordinary and four special meetings of the Council, and at least sixteen other meetings on Council business, and have been four times to Christchurch on Council business, and I .have never received a cent'or expected any remuneration. As regards the clerk, which from end to end of his letter "Buick" seems determined to lower, "liuick" should have gone to the office and see what he is paid. He receives u fair salary, but during the past year has done a lot of extra work. For the first time for years we have had a credit balance i at the bank. Our rates were all collected before March 31st. ?md our subsidy has been considerably increased. I If "Buick" had been on the Council I and been paying interest on big over- | drafts, Jio would feel pleased when he found they were financial. As regards the satisfactory stato of the roads in the Kowai County, we have J spent more in re-metalling, re-grading, i and repairs than has been spent for I years all over the district, and all roads ; before they are any good must bo 60 treated, although ;for a time it is unpleasant "for cars., As regards the piece of road referred to in "Buick's" letter, from Ashley to Leithfield, this road is mostly used by through motorcars and traction engines hauling wood, timber, and bricks. Part of it is a sandy formation, and, to make matters worse, there is no good shingle to be obtained for miles. Consequently it is bad to keep in order, but the old sand cutting which used to bo a terror to motorists is in good order, and the main part of the Leithfield end —the Waikari part —has" been re-metalled, and will in a short time be a good rorvd. As to the latter part of "Buick's" letter, in which he refers to Acta of Parliament for members' education, that is amusing. There is one little Act I. ns a member of a County Council', would like to see passed, and that is that all owners of motor-cars, especially those who are not ratepayers, should contribute a certain amount towards the upkeep of the road they spoil. As regards an imported engineer, I wo are quite satisfied with the colonial I article. —Yours, etc., G. A. McLEAX. Chairman Kow&i County Council.