WAITEMATA COUNTY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8284, 17 June 1890, Page 3

WAITEMATA COUNTY COUNCIL.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—l see by your report of the last meeting of the Waitemata County Council that Mr. Harrow, of the Lake, called the members of that body " brother-paupers." One would, thiols that) they bad heeju

paupers or in a state of bankruptcy for! the last few years. One need only go as far as Henderson ; and look at the Whan* Rivariva, and Henderson bridges, ana at the road leading over these from Cemetery Hill to Henderson especially, to be convinced on this head. All the culverts front Cemetery Hill to Henderson are stopped! up, with the usual result—namely, hole* large enough to bury horse and cart KM caused by the storm-water tearing its way along the road instead of being takenoff by the culverts. Surely our member for this riding does not want anyone to show him his duty. The following is a copy of a letter I sent to the Council at its last meeting, and I shall be glad if you can find space for its insertion :—" Gentlemen, — Councillor Bishop has put Parker to repair the road by Parr bridge, filling up the ruts with tea-tree ana loose earth, and has made the road ten to one worse than it was before. I was obliged to go round by Henderson last week with a load of fruit. I got to the top of Henderson Hill by following the old road ; then I had to take to the new formation. I got on pretty well until I came to the cutting and rilling, when I was obliged to turn off to the old track. In doing so I got one of my cart wheels in an old rut, and broke one of my shafts. Herewith I enclose account of cost of repairs, which I trust the Council will allow, so that it may nob be necessary for me to put the matter in my solicitor a bands. A few weeks ago Mr. and Mrs., Roberts, settlers at Henderson, were capsized out of their cart at this place, and Mrs. Roberts feels the effects to this day. About three months ago another settler named Dickens was also capsized not far from this spot, on the Waikomiti Road, near Parr's bridge, when taking a load of posts home. Eighteen months ago I spoke to Mr. Bishop about metalling the Great North Road, and he promised to have the work done the following summer, and when a petition is sent in to the Council to have the work attended to, he says it is too late now ; will attend to ib in the spring. No doubt when next spring comes, he will find some other excuse—want of funds or some such thing. I suppose that nothing will be done until some Bishop or parson gets killed, and the chairman and engineer are pub in Mount Eden for manslaughter. Gentlemen, I feel at times, when coming in with a load of fruit, that if I had Councillor Bishop with me, I would roll him in the mud, and then ask him how he would like to have to go over such a road twice a week, as I and others have to do." The only course that now seems open for the settlers is to petition the Minister of Public Works to hold an inquiry as to why the blue metal given by the Government was nob pub on the main road, instead of being carted up the ranges and put on side roads. —I am, etc., Henry Pkobert. Henderson, June 9, 1890.