CORRESPONDENCE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LVI, Issue LVI, 29 January 1909, Page 8

CORRESPONDENCE.

PROPOSED MANGAIOKI RIDING

LOAN.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, — In a few days the ratepayers of the Mangatoki riding of the Eltham county will have the opportunity of exercising their votes on the above subject. To read the report of the meeting held last Saturday evening it would appear that the policy of borrowing as recommended by the Eltham county councillors is a very questionable one. To my mind it seems incomprehensible that there can be two ideas on the subject. Mr C. McGuinness, a splendid settler in every other respect, allows his. holy horror of debt to entirely obscure his better judgment and com-mon-sense as regards local matters. Mr McGuinness and those of his opinion declaim against the extravagance of borrowing. At the same time by backing up the present maintenance system they are perpetuating one of the most idiotic and wasteful methods of keeping our main highway fit for traffic. I will now adduce evidence in support of my statement. The amount that can be got at present at 4£ per cent, interest and sinking fund is £7250. Of this amount £6758 is ear-marked for the Elthain road. ; I will for convenience charge the whole interest to the Eltham road, namely, £326— say for four miles or from Eltham borough boundary to Hastings road, £80 per mile. Maintenance on the new road at an extremely high estimate, £80 per mile, leaving a saving of £190 per mile, total £760 per annum, and a wider, better and more satisfactory road in every respect. Surely when ratepayers give this matter careful consideration they will not hesitate to vote in favor of the loan. Those not living on or near the main road will benefit equally, in that with the tremendous saving on the four miles councillors can afford to treat the cross roads more liberally. I have before me the total indebtedness of the Mangatoki riding. The same is for interest purposes, £15,745, while in fact the present amount is considerably less by the deduction of accrued sinking fund. Given that the present loan is carried, the total would be on lines already explained, approximately £23,000, or as near as possible £1 sterling per acre over the Mangatoki riding — concrete and steel bridges and four miles of renewed Eltham road included. Can any settler point to an expenditure on his farm that approaches this for a maximum of benefit for a minimum of outlay. Speaking for myself, I am not well enough off to assist in absolutely throwing away £760 per annum, neither do I think there are any Mangatoki ratepayers that cannot see their way to make better use of this large sum per annum. And yet if the present opportunity of securing this loan for our riding is lost that will be the position. It will mean that in less than seven years, interest included, present maintenance will be responsible for an actual waste of over £6000 sterling, with a narrow streak of patched road at the end of .said seven years, ft may be said what about the balance of Mangatoki riding, Eltham road? Well, this can go on in short sections till more cheap money is available. As Mangatoki settlers are aware I had charge of this riding for seven years, and claim to know what I am writing about, and all I have to say is that it is simply maddening to think it possible that when a good thing comes along and I can save fully £15 per annum in rates there should be people so short-sighted as to champion the present maintenance system. I would specially impress on by-road set r tiers that they stand in fully in the benefits of the loan. The main road is and must continue a charge on the whole riding, and any saving cannot be effected without their participating equally in same. Thanking you in anticipation. — I am, etc.,

JACOB MARX.