THE SAND HILLS ROAD.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 20, 19 June 1875, Page 3

THE SAND HILLS ROAD.

TO THE EDITOR OE THE PATEA MAIL. Sir, —With respect to the suggestion conveyed in Malor Atkinson’s reply to the Siuul llills petition, which included animadversions upon the Engineer in charge of Public Works in this district, “ That in justice both to that officer and to the public, Mr Gibson should be requested to make a definite charge, in order that an inquiry may bo forthwith instituted,” I may state that if our member was a resident here, and had to suffer personal inconvenience from the state of that portion of the road as have the settlers hero, he would have been aware that it was systematically neglected for the last two years, and it might not have been necessary to call a public meeting to draw attention to grievances that he ought to be aware of and endeavour to remedy, without having to be humbly prayed to by petitions from Ids constituents ; and I cannot help thinking that after the strong expression of opinion, as conveyed by the Manutahi meeting, it was his duty to elicit from contractors and other residents the nature of the grievances which found vent there, and if he was satisfied that there was good ground for a definite charge, to ask for an inquiry himself, and not throw the onus of doing so upon me, simply because I happened to occupy the position of chairman at the meeting. And as at the meeting a committee was formed to conduct any further business connected therewith, 1 beg to decline to undertake the task, as I have neither the time at my disposal or the inclination to do more in the matter. We may thank the meeting for the attention the Public Works Department has since shown to the road, and I trust that now the weather renders gravelling an impossibility, tenders will be accepted for its completion. I am, &c., JOHN GIBSON. Patea, June 15, 1875.