WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.- A CRITICISM.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 1219, 3 June 1919, Page 5

WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.A CRITICISM.

The Eat tor. Sir, —As • ratepayer and or.e who hss travelled over the Te KuitiPio Pio road several times during th« past week I wish to utter an emphatic protest against the disgraceful and unbusinesslike manner in which that portion of the road from the 12-mile to Pio Pio has been mutilated at the hands of the above body. A stranger seeing it for tbe first time would think some Hun shells had been dropping along the way. The contract for this work was let some couple of months back, and tbe contractor ploughed up sundry portions, taking tbe metal off others and putting in new fillings, etc. This was done with the sanction and authority of tbe council, and was quite all right until the recent bad weather. At tbe present time it is nothing but a conglomeration of ruts, mud, boulders, fascines and fern. It ! only requires a good downpour and it will be impassable for the winter. Bow the unfortunate mail carrier and taxi proprietor gets through passes understanding. Our worthy chairman and recently appointed engineer thinking that the longest way round is the shortest way home, travel by way of Mairoa, which is only double the distance. Meanwhile, tbe crusher is being installed, but it will be a long time before it is in perfect working order. Tbe cost of erecting tbia derelict and putting in the Oiling at the 14-mile will be very little short of a thousand pounds. This, of course, is a mere bagatelle to such a wealthy community. If this sort of mismanagement continues, the loan money will be all squandered, and not half the work completed. It behoves ratepayers to see that they get a square deal, forget little petty differences, and if their interests are jeopardised, as they are at present, to take the first opportunity of dismissing those who are responsible Tbe ratepayers foot the bill, and tbey have a perfect right to criticise, and in this way protect their interests. I hope others will also take this matterup.—l am, etc., WAY BACK. Pio Pio, May 31st, 1919.