ONEHUNGA CONCRETE ROAD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17144, 25 April 1919, Page 7

ONEHUNGA CONCRETE ROAD.

Sir,—Mr. Gunson, in hid address at Onehunga, on the 15th Inst, quoted £620 as the annual maintenance for the last three years, on four roads in macadam, whereas the interest and sinking fund on the cost of laying them down in concrete, was only £671, thus making the concrete road a good proposition. Unfortunately, Mr. Gunson's figures will not apply to Onehunga's main thoroughfare, the annual maintenance 0:! which, lor the last three years, has betn less than £500, whereas the interest and sinking fund, on the cost of laying it down in concrete, £35,000, will be £2100 annually. It has been widely circulated that 13-16ths of one penny in the £ would be the rate collected if the loan is carried. This is only juggling with figures. The advertised rate for the proposed loan is l|d in the £. The ratepayers must also bear in mind the fact that, whether the loan is carried or not, it has become imperative to increase ' the general rate at least Id in the £ to meet the increased expenditure. W. E. Singleton, Member Onehunga Borough Council. POSTAL MATTERS AT PONSONBY. Sir,— think it about time that the pre-war postal arrangements at Ponsonby were restored, as the present arrange--1 ments are not over convenient. At ; present, if we in business want to send an important letter south, we have to post before 5 p.m. on Saturday, or else make a special trip to the city on Sunday in order to catch the Sunday nightie maiL Until lately the postal box was cleared at 2 p.m. on Sunday, but we are even denied that little convenience now. I Another matter for complaint is the way the postal bags containing the mails are allowed to lie about the road waiting for the tramway officials to pick the-a up. The post boy carrios the bag out, and throws it on to the tram line, and car after car goes into the city, and the mail •til] lie* on the road, Might I askj 1,

What is the use of the mails being cleared at the post office every hour while this' sort of thing goes t on? Only the other day I posted a letter at a-qnarter to 2 p.m., so as it could catch the 2 p.m. clearance, and arrive in the city in lime to catch the 2.45 p..m. Waikato mail, but the 2 p.m. bag was still lying on the tram line at a-quarter to 3 p.m. (the hour the mail closes in the city), consequently my letter missed the mail. Then again, the post office at Ponsonby ought to be o.pen from 7 to 8 p.m. for telegraphic work. Just fancy an important business centre like Ponsonby being cut off from telegraphic business after 5 p.m., when less important towns have the office open from 7 pjn. till 8 p.m. Perhaps the member lor City We*t might bestir himself re these matters.

Geo. W. Wtluamson. Ponsonby, April 22, 1919.