The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, JANUART 8, 1889. Fresh Taxation THE MANCHESTER BOARD.

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 79, 8 January 1889, Page 2

The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, JANUART 8, 1889. Fresh Taxation THE MANCHESTER BOARD.

While the ratepayers of the Board generally experience the greatest possible difficulty in getting a few pounds Bpent on their roads, either old or new, the expenditure on the Onepuhi Bridge continues to be made *ith an unsparing hand, and apparently without the ratepayers of the Manchester Road District being consulted in the . matter. We learn from our Marton contemporary that " there was a conference of representatives of the Rangitikei County Council and the Manchester Road Board held in the Council Chambers, ;at Marton, on Saturday afternoon, regarding the Onepuhi , Bridge. The plans for the bridge were submitted and discussed, and ultimately it was decided that tenders should be umted forthwith for the necessary work. The only matter now left is as to tfthe best means for raising the necessary funds. The Council and . the Road Board have power to raise the money by imposing a heavy rate. ! On the other hand, the ratepayers [ consent having been obtained, the ■ 4 needful ' may be secured from the Government on very easy terms. The ratepayers Jhave the choice of two ■' evils, 1 and, of course, we presume »they will select the smaller. They will, we should think, give their votes «in favor of the proposal to borrow the • (money from 'Government on the usual \ easy terms rather than be compelled (to pay for it at double the price later on." We do not thiak the ratepayers on this side the river, at least, will vote in favor of the latter proposal, and if they do they are greater fools thau we take them to be. They are already suffidJeatly burdened with the payment of rates for money expended in their own without seeking to increase them by borrowing money to keep in repair an almost useless bridge, practically out of their district, from which they do not derive one Earthing of benefit. Year after year the Raugitikei County , Council ihas had the aole control in [ the matter of wasting money on the i Onepuki Bridge, while the Manches* ; ter Road Board has only had the pleasure of paying one-half of the said money. That the latter Board has grumbled, we are perfectly aware, "but they have had no option but to ■pay. The time has now come when the -ratepayers should take steps to protect themselves from further impositions in this connection, by refus \ ing to grant further supplies.