THE SCHOONER CREEK SQUABBLE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXIX, Issue 180, 22 July 1893, Page 3

THE SCHOONER CREEK SQUABBLE.

TO THS BDITOB. 8j r% Jost & few words with reference io Mr Chaytor'a pet engineering scheme of turning the Pukaka water into Bchooner Creek. It seems to me that a few of the ratepayers have formed themselves into an ••Adoration Society," for the purpose of worshipping Mr Cbaytorand hia doings and Msinß9, and ate willing to cry " Amen" to all bis aotioES, however abßnrd and irrational they may be. For downright mismanagement, and what the Yankees would call "pure cußßednesa," this River Board business " takes the cake." From first to last the affair has been conducted with a total disregard of true business principles, and m dtfisnce of the best engineering talent. In the first place, when (soma 10 years ago) the scheme of drainage down Pember'a Boad was first thought of, the earviosa of the late Mr J. G. Blackett and Mr Wilson were «enred, and they both decided that Hunter's Boad provided the beet outlet, that being only 17 chains m length, whilst the Bchooner Creek route is at least 80 chains. There is a fall of nine inches down Hunter'B Boad. Schooner Creek has exactly the came fall too more, no less), but biing five timeß as long and very crooked, ii i not nearly so good an outlet, the part that is opened np being Bimply a chain of stagnant pools. Last year U was decided to renew the culvert m Hunter's road,and the necessary totara timber was procured from the North Island, at a cost of £120. A contract was let to Mr Norgrove to complete the work for £50, and all this was done, sir, under the guidance of Mr Chtyior, tha Biver Board being unanimous m their action. The chairman of the Board, who seems to be able to control a Majority of the members as though they «ere so many puppets, then suddenly pretests to discover that a better outlet for the water e*n be bad through Schooner Creek, by digging a tortuous channel come four to «ix feet deep through private property, and the Boani meekly consents to sell tho timber for about half priae, and give the contractor £25 to throw up his job. Is this •unison sense ? No, Bir, it is gross bungling, and to make matters worse it is now «OBte»plated to go to law, and fight out the disputed question aa to whether or not iht Boar 4 has the right to enter on private property witboat compensation, m »nch a mtaoar. I wish tha obairmaa joy of his undertaking, but I cannot help thinking it ia a pit? ba should be allowed to take such liberty with the funds of the straggling local body, which has already got a very Urge overdraft, almost equftl to a year's rates. Should Mr Chaytor be foolish anough to persist m his action, the overdraft will ba •welled to more than double its present limit, for failure will certainly be Jiii reward. In these bard timeß men of «%Bomioal habits are needed on our local bodfci, who will eea that they get a pound's worth of work . done for svsry pound axpanded, and that of a lasting and permanent character. To squander the ratepayers' money away m law and foolish experimenta should not be tolerated for a moment. Trusting you will find room for this m your widely-circulated paper.— l mm, &*m Eatepateb. Taa Marina, July 20, 1893.