COUNTY EXPENDITURE

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6604, 26 May 1925, Page 5

COUNTY EXPENDITURE

(To the Editor.) Sir, —I notice at the last meeting of the Piako County Council reference was made by Crs. Lowry and Stark of the excellent understanding existing" between the Council, engineer and ratepayers. That an understanding between the Council and engineer exists is without question, the reason why is a conundrum which has not yet been solved, but I think the ratepayers might wisely have been omitted, as I might safely say the majority of them have never been able to understaiW either the Council or its engineer. The Council authorises certain work to be carried out under the supervision of the engineer. Here, Sir, is an example: Some time in the year 1923, at Manawaru School road west, the sides of the road for about one and a-quarter miles were ploughed ready for grading, but nothing further was done. In 1924 the same work was done but no grading. The ojily thing benefitting by this was the fescue, which responded vigorously to such treatment. In May, 1925, the grader started under protest from the riding member and broke up what little surface the road had for about three-quarters of a mile, and every available bit of fescue was gathered and placed along the centre of the road. There it lays now after this wet weather rotting—surely a great piece of work —but only what can be expected under the present conditions. This is only one of the many works in which the ratepayers’ money is . squandered. Another example is the concrete road, and other works throughout the County far too numerous to mention. And then the Councillors congratulate themselves and compliment the engineer and staff on the manner this work has been carried out. The only remedy I can see is for the ratepayers at the "next election is to put in men who will see that this ridiculous waste of the ratepayers’ money is stopped.—l am, etc., N. STAFFORD. School Road, Manawaru, May 22, 1925.