RAHOTU.

Opunake Times, 3 July 1894, Page 3

RAHOTU.

(Our Own Correspondent.)

We have been anxiously watching for the first appearance of the Opunake Times, and were very pleased when we received notice that its date of publication had been fixed. We badly wanted someone to stir the powers that be a bit, so as to get some little attention paid to our district. Rahotn is showing signs of advancement during the past year or so. There is a lot of fine land between it and the mountain, which will have this for its business centre, and as soon as this land is let quite a boom will be sure to set in here. Some of the long-headed ones are already securing sections in the township, and there is very little doubt but that before long they will find they have gone into a good spec. Mr Harvey, who bought Mr McOallum’s store out, also bought Mr Simeon’s stock, thereby securing the trade -of the place to himself, but another store is now building. We are reasonably well off for public conveniences, having a good hotel, a store, a coachbuilder and wheelwright’s establishment, a firm of blacksmiths, timber yard, Theatre Royal, and several other public institutions centered here. PAEIHAKA ROAD BOARD. The following notices of motion have been given for the next meeting of the Parihaka Road Board, and if adopted will revolutionize the old system adopted by any prior body of men : Mr Morrison to move—“ That the Board’s engineer pass no contract unless the work has been strictly done up to specifications, or by permission ,of the chairman and three members of the Board.” Mr Wright to move—“ That in all specifications for new work the following clauses shall be inserted : (a) Notwithstanding any clauses in the printed conditions, the Board may appoint a committee to inspect and report on this work‘before such work is passed, and instruct their engineer accordingly. ( h) All metal supplied on this contract shall contain not less than 50 per cent of stone, (c) If any stones that will not go through a three-inch ring are found in the metal, the whole work shall be picked over, ancPall §ucii stopes be hand-broken or carted off the Mad at the expense of the contractor. In patching contracts, the metal shall contain 75 per cent of stone, (d) No specifications shall be considered complete unless they contain a penalty for non-fulfilment within the specified time, (e) Where the spreaders on this contract are employed by the Board, the engineer shall not be bound to accept either quantities or quality of metal supplied.” “That steps be taken to.regulate wheel traffic.”

If tbe Board can carry out Mr Wright’s motions, we shall have permanent roads. Much dissatisfaction is expressed at the motion of Messrs Wright and Morrison in refusing the application received last meeting, to suspend the ranger. If they are going to make fish of one and fowl of another, they cannot be sincere in their action. At a meeting a month previously, Mr Morrison said that if the ranger was suspended on the Manihi Bead, he should be suspended on all roads. We shall anxiously wait to see if he still this remark he made at the table.* I trust the Board are act go?nr; the old saying, “ While one may steal a horse, another must not iciiJt over, the hedge.” There are miles of roads on wiiTcn ** ranger is suspended, where man/ pounds have been expended, but- still stock are and allowed to fill in the drains and formation. The thing is very simple : Put up one or no fence, erect a gate at each end, and what becomes of the expenditure of rates ?