AUCKLAND ROADS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11540, 27 November 1900, Page 7

AUCKLAND ROADS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, Your correspondent " Ratepayer," in endeavouring to free one porsoa from blame, unjustly trios to fasten the responsibility .or the condition of our roads upon the Mayor and councillors by declaring that for the last two years the streets have been starved. Now, what are the facts? Simply those, that for tho year 1897 11.563 yards ot metal wore spread; tor the year 1898, the year before the present Mayor took office, 12,044 yaras; foi last year, the first during the present Mayor's regime, the quantity spread was 12,732, or very nearly 700 yard" more than the previous year, and nearly 1200 yards more than in 1897. This year's office report, I understand, has not yet come to hand, but if_ the quantity spread is less than last year, it is not because of any restriction upon the part of the Council, as 1 am advised that the (council in this matter has not interfered, but left the matter with the-officers. Then, with respect to tho size of the metlii, in the past it wap supposed to be 2£in, and the same applied to the scoria whore such wa.< used fo. roads. But has it boon 2£in? Has it not been a variety of sizes, some 30 largo trtat it would be diffioult to pass it through a, •Sin or 6in ring? If this has been so, whoso fault is it? Surely not the engineer's, who specified 2£in, but the supervisor's, who »e----oeived the metal and certified to the correct (less of the account. If that be so, then iiie blame should rest there, and nowhere clso.—l am, etc., Another Ratepayer.