Proposed New Road Board.

Manawatu Herald, 31 March 1892, Page 2

Proposed New Road Board.

» «• I The other day we suggested that those residents in the northern portion of the Wirikino Road Board, who are thinking of obtaining a new board, should seriously consider the whole question before acting rashly. When the Wirikino Board was first constituted there were but few settlers in Shannon or Tokomaru, if any, and therefore the rates derived from tho Railway company were spent where the settlers lived, that is by Kereru and Levin and Ohau. Afterwards, when the northern portion went ahead, the Board agreed to a loan of £6000 for road making purposes, and agreed further that the interest should be paid out of the general revenue. Of this loan some £4000 was allotted to that portion which it is now proposed to form into a new board. It must be apparent that if separation is secured the whole of the liabilities of the old board, within the proposed new district, vrill have to oe taken over by the new board, and thus the interest charges of the £4000 loan will have to be paid entirely out of their own revenue. It would appear that this would be a heavy drag upon the revenue, and should require well 1< oking into before a step, not easily retraceable, is taken. If the new district can easily bear this expense and have funds f6r further developing the country such a step may be advisable, but still there are many other expenses attaching to a board, which is now shared in common with the rest of tha old board- Should the settlers, with all these facts clearly before them, still desire to manage their own affairs, we cannot see why the remaining portion of the Wirikino Road Board should object, rather otherwise, as they get the general revenue lightened of the . share of the interest on the loan spent in the northern portion of the district, and will thus have this sum towards paying the increased oost of administering their area. One thing is very clear, that a new board might; ;be a very good thing for the town of Shannon, which.is bound to have a preponderance in the representation, but we strongly delist if i^wiUbeT so advantageous for the actual settlers.