COUNTRY ROADS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 900, 2 October 1866, Page 5

COUNTRY ROADS.

To tho Kditor of the Xi:\v Zealand Hkuili*. Sih,- —[n some of your hue numbers have appeared aruch.s trio setihrs to attend to the making of tho roids in tiuar districts, tho Troviavial G-jrt-r/jment nm nof at present in a position to them ; if the settlers arc to do thia necessary work, they have a right to receive from the l-rovcrnment hicilitics to do so. I will «»ive you an lhistaueo wherein they hive failed. " Maungakaraine 1 " was formed into a Highway District some two y-'ars ajjo, but from some cause or oth-.r never could into working order. At that time the suprriutendont appointed Mr. tieott, then Kesideat to receive claims and make out mr aimu si lib* of voters. has since been removed from tlie district, and an application was made some months a*»o by the trustees to the fcuperintendonl to appoint- some person to perform this duty, buc no notice was taken of tiie application, like trustees, 110 way daunted, eahed a in-jeting, and imposed a rate of Od. per aero, iho legality of which is now called in question. Tho lOih Miction of *ho Highway Act, 1,502, states that it is thy person appointed by tho Supcrintcridi'nt that i.-j to call tho annual meeting for the cbction of trustees, and for determining the amount of rati* for the untitling year. In this in-tanco there was no such pi:rsj». The trustees, by the loth section, have, power to call a meeting of the voters to Jdl up any vacancy occurring in their t uutubor, but not for the imposilion ot a rato. iSoine of the settlers, anxious to nee a commo.zcement of tho work, have paid a portion of thurate. A largo portion of the land in the district owned by merchants iu Auckland and others not in tlie Province. One parry in Auckland has sent a person to Wangaroi t ) make inquiries, for t/ie purple of trying tho case be/or* Mr. Ueckh 1111, R.M. ; others—who have paid the rate, IhrtVum ! actions against tho Tr.isrot-s if an attempt to expend : the money coilecusl is made. This, sir, appears at i\ 1 first look a very trilling afTair ; but when it becomes | a question of registering the arrears of such rate against tho lands, tho owners of whieU cannot be foui.d, and such land is subsequently oilercd for sale, it bccomes a question of no sm ill importance, and all tho annoyance cou'd havo been avoided had tlie Government attended to it« duties. I have heard a few days ago of the Superintendent offering tho ofliee to a resp-.-ctublo settlor li ere, but the appointment is not yet ga/.et:ed ; but uniorLunately it is too late now to make out the annual li-t, which is required before tho Ist beptombcr in each year, however, tho settlera look forward to receive such instructions as will mend what is past (if it can legally bo done) ; if not such as will enable thorn to correctly perform these duties in future.—Yours, See. Makgapai.