OTARIA. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Otago Witness, Issue 1752, 20 June 1885, Page 12

OTARIA. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

inn Lahodr Market. —Tend era wore 'euMa'ly invitrd by one of our aettloin fir tho crecliou of a dwelliug-honse and ether bu'ld'n^a, and no k'BJ than 30 tenders *rere received for the job. Foad Board Taxation.- An effovii Ij being ma'!e hero to induce the Southland diuntv C.MI ell I > tako over the Oia-h Bocd Board, bufc 1 am afraid the attempt will be a futile ono. Tho B awl buiag in il< bS to the tulle of £3000, it is eca-cely to he tx iooto.l iuio Council will bu "bo soft. 1 ' as ia tak'J" au h an undesirable partner under its wing. Ttuly iittle.B in a new district suft j r groit hardships a'i iitn p a. Whou this district was fltst ssttled the pc pie had uo ro^ds to thrnr land. They were obli}; d ro fo.-iu a rml board, and they were ernpoworw to uon'uw 5o tho amount of £3000. This lioiit hash -en ro^chei, and tho who'o of the money apeat, in alliti-m do too amount of raten that his been eolcitjd and Btill the pooplo are badly off tor rc^dj. The borrowjd m ney will poo 1 havo to be rep.vkl but the quastiou arises, where ia it to (j'jmn frovn ? '•■<> one knows When tho Government authoii-ed r a<l boards to borrow, it must bo renumbsrtd that fchi-y wo>e subsidising tho hoards to the amouni of £ fir- &, and even £2 lor £1. Th 3 subsidy h a b.-e-i ".ih'adrawn, aud consequently now tr ai dlatric s a,~e. rhro .vn ou their own resources. Old ro d board' have vo(j mostly all the roads made in their di-ttrlots, and do r ot require any subsidy, but in newly conitti'iKWil rind districts r coasldor it is tho duty of the Governsio'isto make some provision for roads It io a grv;it s'jf.m'i that poor struggling te'tlers should hive to p'vy a county council tax, a road board tax, and ?"odn? s s Only knows hew many other taxei. and in add<ti -n to this have to contond against sty vatton prices t >r their produce and bad roads— in fact no road* ad .ill wlih .1 huge rosd bo?.rd dabt staring thena ih fa^e. Wmo it. not! for the settterß, what would brc >me of <ur Government! railways? -wrnt wou d cupporl th?m? Well may it be said (h'vt the settler is th^ be.no and sluew of the country, and it cm as truly be "f\U thai he ia the most sorely taxed individual in the lau'3 If tho G yvernment intend to aVow tho poopia to reuiiin on their laid and to induce < thers to uet'le, it ia t j be eincsrely hoped they -will make s->ni9 proviaiou for them ia the way of roids, aad endeavour to lighten the r fcaxea,