THE PARIHAKA. ROAD BOARD AND WAITEIKA ROAD.

Opunake Times, Volume V, Issue 198, 28 July 1896, Page 2

THE PARIHAKA. ROAD BOARD AND WAITEIKA ROAD.

(to tue editor.) Sir, —I wish that you would allow mo space for a few remarks upon the above subject. Another meeting of the Board has taken place, but no advance made with those by-laws. The trouble of the Waiteika Road settlers with the mud-making timber-waggon sits very lightly on the shoulders of the Board. Looking at their action towards us settlers would lead one to infer that there was some sympathetic chord or secret understanding between the mill owners, the bullock waggon, and themselves. The engineer's report to the Board must be highly complimentary to the bnllock waggon, as the destruction of the road is thorough and complete. The oxen conductor has become quite scientific iu short turns and curves in mixing the road with the ditch, levelling and rooting from fence to fence ponds of mud and broken culverts. I suggested to the Board that they take action under the Public Works Act, but was answered that the Board were passing by-laws. Now, Sir, the Board have been engaged upon those by-laws for the last twelve or fifteen months, collectively incubating, but up to the present have brought forth nothing. There is something rotten in—not the state of Denmark—but the Parihaka Road Board. They have voluntarily undertaken a duty to the public which they cannot carry out, therefore unfitted for the position, and altogether out of place. Gentlemen, I would say, don't block settlement and ruin struggling settlers any longer ; stand back and let some other men, who have the mental capacity and backbone, do the work wherein you are an utter failure.—l am, &c, J as. McKenzie. Waiteika Road, July 23, 1896.