ROAD BOARDS VERSUS COUNTIES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 35, 11 August 1880, Page 4

ROAD BOARDS VERSUS COUNTIES.

<TO THE EDITOB OF THE STAB.

Sib, — In your issue of the 31st ult., you differ from me on several subjects, re forming a new county. About the only difference in our opinions is as to the area of a county or road board, and as to the employment of a "scientific gentleman." It matters not whether the local body is called a county or road board, so long as it can be worked with the following results, viz. — the greatest amount of re-productive work, with the least amount of useless expense, or wear and tear. The opinion advanced by me was that the proposed new county would be too large for one road board ; that it could be worked to a greater advantage to the public in general, and to the out-settlers in particular, if divided into three road districts. I contend that forty miles is too far for any person to nde, to agree to make or repair a past his own door. The rates are^ried on the land at his own door, and the i*oad work has to be done in that locality. Then why wde such lo»£ distances, a«d oilentimes over or through tracts o£ mud, l)y courtesy termed country roads? Be the employment of one engineer for the whole county or road board, I find, from experience iv the Patea •county, that it takes one engineer, at & salary of j8250 per annum, to superintend the repairing of sixty or seventy miles of road. Iv the proposed county there will be over five thousand miles of roads, many of which will require immediate attention. As the greator portions of the bush lauds are cut up into small sections, and I believe the Waiuiate, as at present surveyed, is cut up into small sections, as a consequence, will be occupied by a large number of pettlers, who will immediately require roads made, as *

good deal of the land is sold on de~ ferred payment, money is available at once. To expect one engineer, or in fact, any one person, to lay off and pass works in such a large district, I consider is unreasonbale. Although the total amount of money to be expended might not be many thousands, the works must, of necessity, be scattered over a large area. Suppose urgent works, such as landslips, culverts, or bridge approaches being washed away (not unlikely occurrences in the proposed county, as there are many streams or creeks to be crossed), say, on three or four different roads, in the Ngaire block, or on the Waiinate, or any part of the present Hawera roaa board district, the settlers have to ride, at the risk of losing their horses or breaking their necks, ten or twelve miles, to the nearest post or telegraph office, to inform the engineer of what has happened. It would be impossible for the engineer (should he happen to be at the county town) to attend within a reasonable time to the urgent wants of the settlers. Being county roads, and a county engineer having been appoiuted and paid to look after the roads, it is no other person's business to interfere. Road boards, as a rule, consist of seven members, any two of whom can expend a sum not exceeding £2 upon any urgent work, such as those mentioned above. If three road boards were formed, there would be twenty-one men to attend to those matters, instead of one, as proposed in the new county. Hoping that I have not trespassed too much on your valuable space. — I am, <fee, P. J. Gane.

August 7, 1880.