Correspondence.

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 44, 10 August 1872, Page 2

Correspondence.

We do nob neces3arily endorse the opinions expressed by our correspondents.] (To the Editor of the Wailcato Tiriim.) Sir, -1 was rather amused on reading, in a late issue of your valuable newspaper, a letter signed by Mr. John R unoimaii, giving a graphic description of the road at present being made by the Kirikiriroa Highway Board to Taupiri. No doubt the party in question has had jueat experience, bvt I don t think sufficient to enable him to give a correct report when the fact ia'" taken into consideration of his having gone over the only part of the road unknown to him before, after dark, which circumstance might account for his over-estimating the length. The Secretary to the :J3oard, in a subsequent issue, considers it a very fair description, with the exception of the length, which he carefully corrects by putting it down at uiuljM , seven teen-and.-a-half miles, that being nearly as much under the mart as the other j s o ver,—the road in question being over twenty miles, as laid flown on the plan. The latter part of his letter might have been carefully omitted, if he took into consideration the circumstance that the members ..£ the late Bo.ml were actively engaged in procuring proxies months before the annual meeting to get themselves re-dented It is an unf ortnnate circumstance that in every FTighway District there are a number of people \yho take little or no interest in pubUc matters, consequently (in most cases) give their proxies to the iirsc man who asks for it ; the system should be .entirely altered, or made so that proxies from i ate payers residing in the district should be null and void, unless accompanied by a medical certificate that the party was unable to at r end. ~■■■■ I was pleased .very much to see that the Mangapiko Highway Board had voted a sum to pay ■for professional assistance; also with your able article on the subject, suggesting to the various Highway Boards the advisability of adopting a similar course—ft would be a great saving. Any ratepayer who has doubts about the matter, has only to go over some of the roads to see bridges, &c, evidently put up without plans or specifications, and of the most convenient timber, whether suitable or not. The expense of replacing those tumbledown structures within two or three years would, in a great measure, be obviated if a competent eninueer were appointed, ami paid by the various Highway Districts in Waikato according to amount of °rates. Of course, no one would expect the members of a road board, to draw up plans and specifications, or to look after the driving of piles for bridges, to see that they were of the best available timber and driven the distance required. Finally, I consider that if the Government (as they do in almost every other country) werß to make main lines of road, leaving districts to make byeroads, it would do away with a deal of ill-feeling and prevent, to a great extent, what may have happened in some districts- selfish parties working the oracle to get elected, probably to benefit themselves at the expense of the district. . '1 am, yours, &c, Wat. Cummtng.