CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7679, 1 February 1904, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

Masterton -Gladstone Road.

JTO THE EDITOR.]

Sir,—The meeting of the ratepayers held on a recent Saturday to consider ways and means of completing the few unfinished chains on the MastertonGladstone road, failed to supply the necessary information for carrying out this urgent work. This work should certainly be put in hand without' any further humbug or delay, as all will know that if such work is put off or left undone till the winter approaches, the cost will be fully 25 per cent, greater than if taken in hand at tbis season. The contractors will require much more money to do this class of work in the winter season, which always seems to be the rule in letting work of tbis class throughout tbis district, as the work is much heavier both on man and beast when the road becomes a quagmire. Now, sir, whose duty is it to take the initiative step in this urgent piece of work, which seems to be everybody's business and still seems' nobody's business —the key to that large and valuable property Tupurupuru, owned by Mr W. C. Buchanan, undoubtedly the best property in the Wairarapa without a road ! This is the gentleman who should first move in this particular piece of work, as it will give him an outlet to the best business town in the whole of Wairarapa—namely, Masterton, and would most undoubtedly enhance the value of this extremely ▼aluable holding by some hundreds of pounds. But I need not point this out 1.0 ihe owner of Tupurupuru, as he can certainly show the ratepayers the road to progress. This is the gentleman who can give this important piece of work a start, and if he could be got to take it in hand there would be no such thing as stopping. Is it not the gentleman whose property abuts on this par ticular piece of road who should first make a move, ere calling on the sm_ll land-owners to contribute to a work, or a piece of road, which they in all probability will never use in any way. Disinterested hmd-owners may give some little assistance if approached by the right person, at the ngbt time, and in a proper manner, according to their means. Mr Peter Gordon holds also a very valuable property, and Mr Strang also, and Mr Joseph Eenali. Those are the gentlemen who will certainly reap tne advantage when tbis work is completed, and who cou d bear tbe full cost—or say the larger portion of it—out of their own pockets, without the slightest danger of any financial embarrassment. Mr Daniel!, who seems by all accounts to be getting a decent picking out of that district seems both willing and able to forward trfis project. If those gentlemen would only form themselves into a committee and show a good example by forwarding a good substantial cheque as a start for the work ; then, if there is a shortage of appeal to the business people of Masterton, who must certainly derive an immense benefit by the completion of tbis very important piece of work. Leave the small land owners to be called on if needed, and the majority of them will contribute, as I have said before, according to their means, as we all know what benefits the country benefits the town also, and vice versa. —l am, etc., Settler.