PUBLIC WORKS AND THE NORTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XV, Issue 5335, 21 December 1878, Page 3

PUBLIC WORKS AND THE NORTH.

TO THE EDITOR. Sin, —You have several times of late shewn the unfairness of the treatment which the Provincial District of Auckland has roceived in the matter of public works, especially in that part of it north of the Waitem&ta. Perhaps you will allow me to Bay a few words in respect to that neglected region. According to the census returns, it contains upwards of 25,000 inhabitants, — that is, about 1-lGth part of the population of the colony. How many mile 3 of railway have been completed in that part of th- 1 provinco ? Why, sir, about fifteen, after many delays and much opposition ! How many miles are proposed to be added to this meagre quantity ? Three and a half miles at Kaukapakapa, and seven at Whangarei— ten and a-half in .-.111 Compare this with the railway system in the South Island, and its uufairness will at once be apparent. The Minister of Works in Parliament said there was not a district in the colony containing 2500 inhabitants that had fnot had public works executed in it. Let him come northward, and see if it be so there. In tho matter of roads and bridges, the people of the North have been equally badly treated ; yet we are told now that such works must in futuro be done by the Counties. . This would be reasonable if all parts of the colony had been treated alike in such matters. But while some districts have bad tho public money lavished on them, and others have had it doled out to them in minute quantities, or have been left altogether ■ naidcd, it does seem hard for the representatives of the former places to toll thc latter that no more roads or bridges musl; Le made by Parliamentary grants. Tho people of tho North have taxed themselves to the full extent of their power to make their roads ; but the money thus raised is quite inadequate to build such bridges as have been made in other parts of the colony at the public expense, and, uuless help is accorded, such works mu-t remain unmade, and the prosperity of thu people of the North

Road, by which, a direct and easy communication between the Northern settlements and the railway terminus at Kaukapakapa would be opened. This road waa undertaken by the Provincial Government, and appears 1 on the official maps as "a road in progress." If the moribund Provincial Government of Auckland had been as wise in its generation as those of other provinces, this and other works would have been handed over to the General Government as Provincial liabilities, and, psrhapp, would now hare been really **in progress," if not finished. When its importance to the Northern settlers is considered, it is not too much to expect aid for completing it. The Highway Districts have devoted all their blender share of tho County money to the purpose, but cannot undertake the abovenamed bridge. One of the candidates for Tauhoa Hiding at the fete election, came from Komokoriki to the polling place at Tauhoa, in between two and three hours, leaving his horse at the south si«le of the Hotea, and swimming the river; while, by the present road, the journey on a former occadou occupied him twelve hours, and he stated that if the Hotea had b?en bridg d, the distance could have been done in an hour and a-half. The saving to cat'le-drovers and travellers may thus be understood. When the Auckland extension is eom,dct«»d, this West Coast lload will be an important feeder to the Kaipara. line. I fear I have already occupied too much of yo'ir space, s > will only say that the Tauhoa Hiding is fa<=t receiving accessions of new settlrrs, to whom the opening of the Wet»t Coast Ro.id would be a great boon.—l am, , Katparian.