ELTHAM ROAD

Opunake Times, Volume II, Issue 95, 31 May 1895, Page 3

ELTHAM ROAD

(Our Own Correspondent.) A meeting of the committee appointed to ascertain the views of the ratepayers with reference to the proposed new road district, was held at Awatuna on Monday night. They reported the Kaponga meeting as unanimously in favour of the proposal; also the Kapuni meeting. The Ratanui meeting passed a resolution in favour of fixing the souther n boundary at the railway reserve. It was decided to appoint canvassers to obtain signatures to the petitions west of the Otakebo River, the Kaponga canvassers having undertaken the eastern end. Messrs Henson, Watson, Cole, Proudlock, Moloney, and Hutchens were deputed to do the canvassing. The proposed new road district is to be known as the “ Kaupokonui,” and the boundaries are to he—North, Forest Reserve ; south, Skeet Road and railway reserve ; east, Palmer Eoad ; and west, the Taungatara River. It is intended, if possible, to present the petition at the next Council meeting, provided the requisite number of signatures are obtained in the in the merihtime. As far as I can ascertain, the main reasons adduced in favour of the proposal are—that it wiT secure us the expenditure of our own rates, which have for years been diverted to feed that unappeasable vampire, the Main South Road ; that in view of the probable failure of the proposed loan, they keep the road open for traffic ; that in the event of the £BOOO loan being carried, it would debar the hush district from borrowing for three years, as it would have to be got by the. Road Board, whose borrowing limit is £BOOO a year. Those reasons are sound enough, I think, as there is not the slightest doubt our rates, or ‘the main part of them, have been spent outside the bush district; and in view of the pioposed increased valuation of the bush district, this is becoming a serious matter. As to the fairness of the proposed boundaries, I think the open have the best of us still by a long way, even though half the Skeet Eoad is to be kept by them, but the railway reserve being too far north, no other boundary could be conveniently fixed. I think the promoters of the scheme are in a great hurry over the business, and it would be more satisfactory to wait till the new valuation is ascertained.