THE OTHER SIDE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 3083, 25 March 1892, Page 3

THE OTHER SIDE.

' ; '2b the Editor of the Star. Su^—Ati andnymoua correspondent with a Latin signature writes to you last Wdfek about Mr. MoKenzie's visit to Stratiord»^«p/reßsin'g the opinion tbat the settlertf-of the' district are quite satisfied , with whathas been done with respect' to East road, condemmg the county ooancil for -not knowing its business, and affirming that, thar county chairman does not love the lliast -road mnob. As I have beard Bomelbipg like all this before from a little knot wficj pretend fo voice the people of the 1 district, and as it becomes monotonous by repetition, it may be worth while to ' examine the statements. In the firet place, then. I think tbat we have but little to ihfink the -present Government for as yet; (#hey are, spending the which iiieirpreaeceseorß' provided, and left in ih© caffb box for, them, with, it is said, •Another :£IQOO: £lQ00 bat of unauthorised. That i« better, ofcourse, than not spending the money at ajl, but why is it necessary to a precious long time about it ? < lit. McKenzie - assumed oharge of his department with the to its oredit , aw»v^;in the ' middle of last summer. There was. no '.reason whatever why tenders ..should not have been at once invited^ the .work, let, and the vote thereby appearing in the Estimates .as 'atso*rbed, ty and Parliament asked to vote a a further sum. That, I venture to say, is "Wbat^would have been done if the last adminißtiation bad remainad in office ; instead oi wbiob; the most sbooking delay oocor^: in - inviting tenders, the road gets into a iearfnl state, contractors" do not ilikeiths look qf, it, and tender pretty high, tenders -'(a^er r a delay of weeks) are declined, and.; then, in spite of Mr. MoKetzie's 1 distinct' promise that fresh tender? should be invited, at once, months 'elapa* before they are again oalled for. , (The jreanlt of course is that notbing has übeen. spent 1 during that year out of the !votp nißiid,'n iBiid,' the whpl© fcDe original sum 'Jiaa tp.be resolved and do duty for another ' yw/ we would have liked, too, to bear Mr. TifdKerizie speak with a little more decidedneas . as , to the Governmebt continuing 5 the road energetically. Ob* serve what your correspondent sayß on that head, "The Miriiater was understood to explain an intention of bringiog before Parliament the desirability of carrying all roads of this class out to connect with the unsold Grown lands." Pretty guarded, isn't it? When an outand out advocate puts it in suoh a way, we others may be exoused lor not getting up muoh enthusiasm over the immediate prospect. I believe the feeling of the people.! of the district to be the very commendable one of "Give, them a show." The Government have bad, and are still having, a most fair and impartial trial ; by their deeds they will be judged. Now a word or two about the County Council and its chairman/ Does Mr. A. A. Fartem think that the Council were going to be euch. donkeys as to assume oharge of a road which <tbe Government had ia hand simply because the Minister did not keep hiß appointment ? "Wby, it is now three jnoutAw Biuce Mr... McKenzie was due in • the district to see into its needs, aooording to his own promise, aad all that time we have been waiting for him to come and sending occasional inquiries as 10 when be would be here. I say without hesitation that frdin one end of the dietriot to the other the Counoil would have been condemned, and rightly condemned, if it bad started, to spend money upon a road under Government' control, and which is altogether beyond, its power to handle in its present condition.; and your correspondent knows fybai'wbat ;l Bay is true. This little mo^oMryiog to ehunt tbe\blame on to ihe County Council is nothing but a political dodge. " The Government have r.not done all tu,at they should, the people are a bit^Bore and anxious, the County Counoil are not partisans oi the Government, and' we "are ) let ud try and put the blame off on to them." Sir, I do not propose to'ie't'kriy snob s'oheme succeed ' wmlßfc)l't*kff-patt(in pnb)i<Uffairt); Ab to '^£W,ij,feeUn£;With respect to East road, 1 ifribouldbo soaraejy necessary to say tbat I Tefetrd the guaatipq of opening up that block of inl«n4 country and of securing eommunieitibit with. Auckland, aB the most important master; affecting this coaßt. When I went into Parliament four yearß pgo, it was an unknown land ; railway eogineers had loot -themselves in it, and haa' only emerged to go before a select oommjitte^^r Wel'ington and- describe it aß lne, a,w/ullfiflt countryima.ginable, and on* quite \!. not impoftuble lot xa\lww pvitpo^'s; .great a c&ange since tnen 1 A fresh survey in oompetent 1 under amtable leadership ; a Bplendia line Ideatecl ; .the real and excellent nature of tbetomntry revealed ; huge traoksf already /cUed, barned, graßsed, and •tooted,;, ana nearly formed for a nbstantfai part of the way. How muoh chare .in f all that I have.had berimes me SVoWi'borttiose who know me will ouite believe tbat J did at least my part.-*-I am, &c, <*• A. MaboHakt. Stratford, March 24tb, 1892.