CORRESPONDENCE.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13456, 29 June 1912, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE VALUE OF ROAD BOARDS

(To the Editor of s'The. Colonist.")

1 Sir,—On. reading your paper, of June the ■ .ISth I notice a-letter signed by Horatio Everett, giving a-.report of the conference- sot.up to discuss the, Local Government Bill. The ratepayers in the i-oad. board districts ought to, and | I feel they do,- appreciate the stand that : our representatives,. Messrs. C J. Harley and Horatio Everett, took in trying to prevent the abolition of road boards. It seems rather peculiar to mo that the road,, boards, or rather the ratepayers in the the Waimea county have got to suffer for the misdeeds of road boards in other districts of New Zealand. I believe that provision is already made whereby, if ratepayers (and I think they are the best judges in this matter) are not satisfied that on a vote being taken and a ,fixed number, (two-thirds I think) being in favour of the . boards being merged into the country, that would end the life of the board in that road district. That in ray opinion seems a .very fair way, but apparently that does not suit some of the counties. As pointed out by Mr. Everett, the road boards in the Waimea county are working harmoniously and economically with the Council. Then why in the name of common sense should they bo abolished? I am ■'quite convinced that by: handing theroad districts over to. the Council the ..xateipayers .in^those. districtsvara.; going; to suffer because i>he supervision will not be as good, inasmuch as. where'the road districts now have all the members of the board as supervisors of the yarious by-roads, if merged into the Council there will only bo the member for the riding, and I think it will be rather hard on him to expect him to take up the duties that, had keen well and faithfully carried on by five or six. "Put on more overseers." Oh, yes, that is aJright, but then the ratepayers, have to foot the bill, and I think they have done that very well in the past. ,If thoso who are'advocating this change think that it is going to be the means of saving expense. T fail to see where it is coming in.:. No doubt it ■will be a. saving of time (and time ,means money) to the individual members of the board, because I do know that they devoie a great amount of time and attention to their duties, and they do not get "travelling expenses,'' nor do they expect it. Another point in my; opinion; 'that \yillprove -a mistake, arid that.iißf.bj'v.doing away with these" boards Ht ''■■■will .be -the means of taking away local interest, which is entirely wrong. Ido -not. wish to advocate that we should keep bodies going simply to keep up local interest, but we should not abolish those-that, are doing good work by merging them into bodies that have, already as much as they can ..possibly do. I hope that Mr. Everett's views are correct when he says that it-will be some time before the law is altered. I would say if it were possible for those who are in favour, of abolishing road boards come arid ride over our county roads, and then ride on the board roads. -I am convinced that the, verdict would be "we:will retain the road boards." ',■'•• Yours, etc., - ; • RATEPAYER. . Wakapuaka, June 24th. I ■■ ■■ --.'■::' ■' ■■''■■''■- ■ ■ -.' '■'■' ' ■