PORTOBBELLO ROAD BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10306, 13 March 1895, Page 3

PORTOBBELLO ROAD BOARD.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sib, —In yonr issue of Saturday, March 2, there is a letter over the names of Messrs Conghlan and MsrryaU trying to bring the doings of the Portobello Road Board in a proper light. Well, Sir, I think such a thing would be very commendable on their part, but I for one do not think they have done so. They say an amendment was proposed by Mr Hinkley against the abolition of fee toll. Why don't they »ay what the amendment was ? Had they done so I, as an individual member, would have had little to compiain of, but as they have not done so I must crave space to do it. Well, Sir, the amendment was simply to refer the matter to the new board, whioh will bs elected n6xt month. That will leave the matter of abolishing the toll or not to the ratepayers themselves, which seems to me quite reasonable. Again, they say we were well aware that we would have certain members voting against us, as they have relations drawing money from the board'a revenua. Weil, Sir, there is only one member of the board thas I know of having any relations drawing money from the board's revenue, and I cm sure every ratepayer, as well as member of tha board, who knows anything about it will admit that he given the board good service for all ho gets; and as it is for horse labour, which must be done, the board's revenue being large or email would make little difference to him. And I think, Sir, to say the 'least of it, such an insinusttioa is playing very low down ; and, by-the-bye, they seem to forget that the ssif-aame member of the board, who has a relative drawing money from the board & revenue, has another relative who is paying as much for toll, 1 suppose, as Metsrs Marrjatt and Cougblan both together. Agaiu Messrs Ooughlan and Co. give us proof that the toll could be dona without—that £120 was authorised to be s>pent at last meeting of the board. Well, I have had to correct Mr Cougbian's statements bofore and must do ss again. The amount really authorised to be apsnt was about £90. MessrG Coughlan aad Marryatt say they do not altogether complain about that money being all spsnt in the lower end of the district. How cou'd they when it was Mr Marryatt proposed that tenders be called for the largest contract, which amounted to £4-3 17s 6d ? But over and above this £90, it w*o decided to call for tenders for other work in the same district for probably £40 or £60, which was supported by Mr Coughlan against a motion of mine, that the members of the board should visit the place first and report at next meeting. They also say this amount did not materially affect the balance at the bank; but they forgot to give as the reason the Government paid into the board's account tho sum of £168 of subsidy last month, otherwise thay know quite well none of the works would have been done for want of funds. If these gentlemen are so anxious to see North-Bast Harbour getting its share, how is it that at tho September meeting, when I proposed that 200 yards of road metal be obtained for Bsaoh road at Waverley, I could get neither of them to second it, and had to rely on a member of a&other subdivision to do so ? And, finally, they gave a lot of figures to show the toll is not worth keeping—to wit: Collected, £I*6 17s 3d; oost of collecting, £31 is; net balance for the year, £115 13s 3d. I think the loss of thit would make some difference, but by some extraordinary 3tretch of imagination they charge the toll with the amount of the surfaceman's wages and 6s per week for the houaa, which consists of two room? with a bit of a loan-00. How would those gentlemen like to have to pay rates for thoir properties valued at the uame ratio ?

If the road board could gat 63 per week for such houses it would pn.y them to build all down the road to Portoisellj, as they would pay for themselves in about three years, and afcer that the revenue from them could go to keep the rosds and obviate the necessity of levying either toll or rates.—l am, &c, S. Hinki.ey, Another member of the Road Board. North-East Harbour, March 6. [We cannot grant further space for the continuance of this correspondence.—Ed. O. D.l.]

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