THE KAITANGATA ROAD DISPUTE.

Evening Star, Issue 7495, 13 April 1888, Page 3

THE KAITANGATA ROAD DISPUTE.

10 THE EDITOR. Siu,—At the last meeting of the Bruce County Council, it was reaolved, among other business, to impose a prohibitory toll on the road trartic between Kaitangata and Stirling. A new industry has sprung up in the district, and its drays, it was said, were cutting up the road ; hence the proposed prohibition, agreed to, apparently, in entire forgetfulncss of the fact that roads were made for traffic, which it is clearly the public interest to foster, and that to render roads practically useless for their intended purpose is something not altogether unlike the proverbial feat of cutting oil' the nose to spite one's face. Apait from interested parties, there is but one opinion among the Bruce folks regarding the resolution, and that is one of disapproval. Of course those using the road should pay for its maintenance, and they have not only no objection, but are anxious to do so. It is their interest to have a good road, and the Wangaloa farmers, who are put forward as objectors, decline to figuro in any such character. The settlers round about arc desirous that the new industry should have a fair chance. Coal at a moderate price concerns every one of them. And so it is coal after all that lies at the bottom of this resolution of the County Council. Coal, Kaitangata way meaning coal from a certain company's mines—is king, and as such must rule his subjects. Outsiders at the first blush of the thing could not understand it. They were perfectly astonished to find a number of shrewd sensible men, such as the Bruce county councillors are known to be, stultifying themselves by any Btich resolution ; but the moment Mr W, P. Watson, the secretary of the Kaitangata Coal Company, appeared on the scene, and began writing letters to the papers and explaining, and getting others to write letters, the whole thing became abundantly clear. The majority of the Council had been had. And this is how the matter stands.

A few honest, hard-working men, neither rich nor powerful, calling themselves) the Castle Hill Coal Company, have leased 600 acres of land from Mr Blackie, immediately adjoining the Kaitangata Coal Company's mine. The new company are getting coal, and sell it at a less price than their wealthy neighbor. As a cousequence Mr W. P. Watson is angry. He would have been angry under any circumstances, To come between the wind and the nobility of the Kaitangata Coal Company was enough, but to undersell it is intolerable. Still the.-ft men are there, and the coal is there too ; no getting over these hard facts. What was to be done? Happy thought! These men had four or five drays carting coals to the Stirling station. They find it cheaper to cart the coals to Stirling than send them by their rival's railway, supposing for a moment that facilities would be afforded them for doing so. They use the road. Could not Mr W. P. Watson convince the County Council of the propriety of prohibiting the use of the road to these men? It was just the thing. There were difficulties in the way, no doubt, but difficulties are simply things to be overcome. One great difficulty lay in the fact that the County Council made and maintained two roads—not one—to the Benhar coal mine—another small concern, not very far off; and how to excuse making fish of one and flesh of another is never easy or pleasant, but Mr W. P. Watson managed it somehow. He was equal to the occasion, and manifestly succeeded in getting a majority of the Council to endorse his policy, which might be rendered in the words of another great man, who Bhall be nameless: "I am the besom that must sweep the court clear of such filth as thou art." Mr W. P.Watson and his directors, no doubt, aro of opinion that they have succeeded in crushing this company, as they succeeded in crushing the poor miners some time ago; but this sort of thing may be repeated once too often. At all events, the majority of the County Council are on their defence. They have been misinformed and misguided, and the sooner they retrace their steps the better.—l am, etc., Dunedin, April 11.