CORRESPONDENCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4527, 30 April 1889, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

LOWER PAREORA BRIDGE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIUARU HERALD. Sib,— Whilst the subject of repairing our bridges is being ventilated, it may not bo out of the way for the benefit of the many to touch on the subject of the keeping of tho county accounts. You are of course aware that whenever work is a-ked for by any ratepayer, and tho application bicked up by the member or members of tho riding, our worthy chuirruan at onjo puts forward the indebtedness or financial position of that riding according to tho separate accounts kept of Iho ridings as directed by him to be kept by the clerk as his own partieulir fad. This state of things is not only unpleasant, but misleading to the public, for the facts of tho ca!o are that, whutover repairs of bridges, maintenance of roads, or other public road works are wanted, the funds for such works must como out of the general fund of the county. lam not stating thia withont sufficient prounda to co upon," as several legal and other valuable opinions have been had on the subject, and all are of the same opinion. Among them ore the following :— From Messrs Perry and Perry — That main and county roads under sub-Jcetion :5, of section 115 of the Counties Act. 1886, must be construe'ed and maintlined at the charge of tho whole county. Krom the Auditor-Genernl, Btatinjj, m answer to questions from tho County Council on tho same subject, that separate riding accounts are necessary only when separate rates are struck on one or more ridings. There was also an opinion obtained from 3ir Robert atout, that no separate riding accounts Deed be kept m this county, and that all repairs, maintenance, formation, <£c, of roads and bridges should be charged to the general account of the county. There is aleo a circular from the Auditor-General showing how tho accounts were to be kept, specifying that main and county roads, bridges and ferries, were to be charged to the general account. Last, but not least, there is tho Act itself. Section 115 of Iho Counties Act ISS6 states that the council shull m cai-b. tyenr apportion the gross estimated income of tho county from all sources m tbo following manner, that is to say: —1. Payment of the general debts of the county as a whole, ic. ; 2. In payment of contributions, ic. ; 3. In payment of the cost of constructing and maintaining all main roads and county roads within the county and of bridges on such roads, respectively ; 4. The remainder of Buch annual income shall be apportioned among the ridings m the county, &c. From the foregoing the ratepayers will perceive that so far as the repairing, maintaining, &a, of main and county roads, and the bridges thereon, tho general account must be charged with the amount so expended and not the riding. The subject now bcfr'ro the public h the repairing or not rep:iirin2 of the lower Pareor.i bridge. It is pretty nearly generally the opinion of the ratepayers both largo and small m this riding that the work Bhould be done, and that at onee — m truth if it had been dono before it would havo cost less — and that it is a great hardship that through somo few largo landholder* the use of such a necc?.ary adjunct to two counties should have been kept so long m such a neglected state. In support of this I may Btato that when the memorial to the Government for tho reinstatement of the bridge was m course of preparation about forty or fifty of tho ratepayers of this ridine at once came forward and signed. If time had been allowed, the greater part by far of them would have willingly placed their names to it. I am loath to rush into public print, but seeing Iho opposiiion raised by Mcsßrs McLaren, Teschemaker, and others, I wibli, on behalf of the ratepujors af the Waihao ridinpf, to show that, although furthest from and least likely to bo benefitted by tho work, they take it as a just and necessary work, and are therefore ready and willing to pay their quota towards it. I am, &0., Waihao Ratbpaibk, April 20th, 1389. TO TUB EDITOII OP TUB TIUAEO UEBALD. Sib, — Kindly allow me space (o reply to Messrs McLaron nnd Teschemakor's letters re luwer Pareora bridge. Mr McLaren, m his otter follows the old proverb—" If you havo no cane, abuse tbo othor side." I Bimply wished m my letter to show the ratepayers throughout both counties, and the Goraldino County Council m particular, how liltlo importance they should attach to the Otsio meeting, and many of their deliberations, and I think your readers will agreo with me that Messrs MoLaren and Tcschemaker m their replies have, gono a long way to assist mo m that direction. Mr McLaron begins by accusing mo of having written two letters attacking him. Ihis is incorrect. I would, thereforo, advino Mr McLaron before ho accuses others of bcini; rcgardlePß of fuels, to be sure of hid own position. As regards the seconder of Mr McLaren's resolution, no insinuation was made or implied m my letter against that gentleman, hut quite tho reverse ; for m my opinion a cropper or contractor is vory ofton a moro substantial man thun Iho landlord. What my letter did imply was that no person could be got at tho meeting to como forward voluntarily to second tho resolution, and it was only after several attempts had been made to get a seconder, that at la?t Mr Forrest was called upon by name, and pressed into doing it. Mr McLaren eajs tho upper Pareora bridgo cost XMO3 to repair, but he does not tell that about £200 more of ratepayers' money is yet required to make a roadway to it before the bridge can be crossed. Ho Bays Iho repairs, etc., to tho Otaid bridge cost, only £137, which he certifies ti bo tha correct cost. Mr Teschcmakor. on tho other hand, »aya :— "It cost only £112," and such being the d*»o lie osk« wheruin liei his inconsistency. I answer, "it m betweon yourself and Mr McLaren, .Either ono or other of you must bs making a misleading statement." Mr McLaren siiyi if thn Otuio bridgu had been abandoned it would have ?ost t"JI to huvo made a ford.

a ( Why then did ho not economise and have one r I made at that money instead of squandering c I £137 on the bridge ? Mr McLaren «aj» £46 .1 was the actual cost to the ratepayers of > repairing the Otaio bridge. May I ask him i then who paid the balance of £91 ? Mr Teache- ) maker does me much honour indeed by doparting from his general rule m condescending to reply to my (letter, but evidently that is on account of the. Otaio bubble having burst. He refers to tho account of the OUio meeting as reported m the JVaitnate Times of December the 12th, and with all due respect to the Waimate Times' report, I maintain that tho show of hands was 16 for the resolution and 8 against (through a misprint m your paper the 8 m my letter got converted into 18). Mr Teschemaker, on a show of hands being takeD, declared the resolution carried by a large majority. A ratepayer objected to large, and said it was only eight, to which Mr Toschcmaker roplied, " Oh, hang it, there are twelve," and called for a second show of hands. There being only 21 ratepayers nt tho meeting Mr Teschemaker mnst havo made up his overwhelming majority with non-ratepayers, a number of whom were present. Mr Tesehemaker says that the members of both county councils are against the restoration of the bridge. That is an inaccurato and misleading statement. All tho members constituting those two bodies are not against the restoration of the bridge. How can he contend that tho bridge is only required by a few peoplo at St. Andrews when nearly 400 ratepayers throughout both counties signed the memorial to have it repaired ? Did not Mr Teschemaker use the bridge as long aa'it was fit for t radio to cart bis wool, it being cheaper and more convenient than sending it by rail 't As regards his estimate of £8000 as being the cost to restore communication by tho bridge, it is like moet of his other statements, misleading and intended to gull the ratepayers. In conclusion I wish to inform Mr Teacbemaker and Mr McLaren that I am quite as iiondjiile a ratepayer of the Otaio as they are, and I hope before long they may tee the error of their ways and be sorry. I urn, &c, Otaio Ratefayeb. Otaio, 27th April, ISB9.