CORRESPONDENCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9840, 5 September 1903, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

— '-* ROADING THE COUNTRY.

(To the Editor of the: HefokD Sjir> — As ... an example, of what' may be the result of neglect to properly road the country at the proper time, we have had to review the recent proceedings in the County Oouncil re the petition for a special loan for the purpose of obtaining a road through the Mangatuna block, Tolaga, Bay. A Native Land Court certificate of title was issued for this block in the year 1882, and a road might lawfully have been taken through it at anytime during the subsequent fifteen years without compensation, but notwithstanding it was well known to the proper authorities that the two main roads through the district, the one on the east and the other on the west side of the Uawa- River, required connecting at the southernmost ford upon the river in order to give thfe western side an outlet to thei township, and tliat such ford is upon the said block, nothing was done, and the: statutory fifteen years lapsed.; Meanwhilei the Crown were acquiring land in the western part of the district, and. settlement in due course resulted. Failing any other access to (their holdings, the settlers used the Mangatuna block for many years, until finally the Native owners had occasion to close tlie track by fencing, which was done about three years ago. Another track ,was, however, opened as a result of negotiation with myself, I having acquired interest in the land about that time. Owing to pressure from various quarters the Cook County Council at last decided to take a public road through the block, and their Engineer, Mr Fraser, made a survey accordingly. No further steps were, however, taken, and the project was ultimately abandoned, on the score of expense, so I was informed. This is where- the failure to tuke the road through at a time when it could have been had free of compensation claims begins to be felt. Further settlement in tlie locality liaving, in the m«intimc, taken place, pressure was again brought to bear upon the Council, and an application made to have the raid t-iken under the Public Works Act. To this the Council, the present one, promptly replied by demanding tliat the settlers interested bear the whole cost, in other words, that these few settler? should at their own expense entirely, purchase: n. road of considerably more than a mile in length, and then donate it> to the general public. It does not seem 'to have once occurred to the Council that as the onlv local body having jui'isdiction in the locality, it was their duty to have seen that the Survey Department" toofcvthe land required before the right to do' so lapsed, and failing this, to have taken it themselves, when, the only espense would have been the cost of survey,, etc. There is also more that seems not to have occurred to the Council, which I will mention presently. Now comes the funny part.. ' Tlie settlers, thus cornered, felt constrained to adopt the suggestion of the Council as to a. special loan, and ■ presented a petition on that belialf. On. presentation of the petition there . was, no „ suggestion that it was otherwise < than ifi order, but the attitude of the Council seemed entirely changed to one of obstruction, and finally after hearing certain statements, made bj r one ov. two objectors they decided to refer the petition back for amendment and adjustment, which it is impossible to' make. As to the attitude of the Council on the matter ibeing one of obstruction I base the inference upon the report of tlie proceedings as appear-ing-in the "Herald." Tlve-' Council discussed and commented adversely upon the security offered for the special loan. This, ItokVit, is a. matter for the Colonial Secretary and riot for the Council. Moreover the Chairman's remark as to the non-availability of tlie Mangaheia, No 2 block for the purpose of security for such a loan is, I submit, erroneous, in-, asmuch as the block is specially ratable at present, and there is absolutely no reason to apprehend that the expiry of the lease next December will have the effect of exempting it -from any liabilities as to rating, either general or spec-ial,-but every reason to assume the contrary. As to what else does not appear to liave occurred to the Council, I may mention tliat it has two main roads through this district- t'^ee roads merging at a. point about two milts north of the locality under discussion. One, the eastern one. passing through the j township of Tolaga is open for wheel tra-

ffic, the other, the western one is not open for wheel traffic, and only open for stock and bridle traffic, because the settlers permit necessary deviations from the proper line of road, this road joins the mufti road at Broadlands. Failing a road through the Mjingntuna, No. 1 block, the western settlers nave no alternative but to press for the opening of the western road, either by doing what is necessary to connect it with the Hauiti road by way of Broadlands or by doing the same northward to where the two roads merge. If such a demand were made upon the Council, and I do not ste what else theiv is for it, what reply could they make except promise to do the work as soon us possible. It would hardly do for a County Council to meet lawful demand with the reply. "We will do only what we- like, and will do that when we chose."— l am. etc. W. F. HALE.