The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JUNE 28.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 203, 28 June 1878, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JUNE 28.

Mk Henry Piper's resignation as Chairman of the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board, is to be regretted as no insignificant a loss to the district over -which that Board has the supervision. With the details of Road Board routine, and past transactions in land and road matters at his fingers' ends, Mr Piper was eminently qualified to fill the position he did, while his great experience from a long connection with the Board was in itself a guarantee to the ratepayers. Taking, however, another view of the matter, his resignation in the present complexion of affairs is decidedly an error in judgment. For some time past rumours have been flying about of certein mysterious doings with regard to land compensation. Truly, or falsely, it is asserted that exorbitant prices have been given for land required for road and road diversion purposes. Allowing that these rumours are but the growth of scandal and gossip, still the fact remains that certain transactions, connected with compensation for land taken by the Board, have been negotiated, and that money belonging to the ratepayers, but held in trust by the Board, has been awarded in satisfaction of these compensation claims. In the face of the rumours that are current, the ratepayers naturally enquire why these transactions have not been made public ? Herein lies the secret of all the discontent and grumbling. The proceedings of the Board from meeting to meeting have been regularly published, the various payments made by the Board have been carefully enumerated, still nothing has appeared with reference to the awards in the land compensation arbitration cases, which are known to have been settled, so far as the parties interested were concerned, sometime back. Broadly put, this means that the Board have expended certain public money, and have withheld the particulars of such expenditure from the published reports of their payments, or, in other words, have, kept these transactions, and all particulars relating to them, in the background. Can the Board wonder, under such circumstances as these, that an explanation is demanded, and that failing this, it is urged that the whole business bears a suspicious aspect. Nor is the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board the only body against which, upon the same grounds, the tide of popular feeling has set in, and with which the tongue of foul-mouthed rumour has been busy. The Pigeon Bay Road Board, it is also asserted, has likewise failed to bring into the light a similar transaction in land compensation.

That the late Chairman, of the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board was neither ignorant of the insinuations that were being directed against that Board, nor of the request for some explanation of the transactions in question, is made patent by his letter which appeared in the last issue of this journal, and being aware of them, we consider his resignation at such a period a vital mistake, and one calculated to lead to the very worst impressions. When the attack is being made is not the time for those in command to retire from their posts ; besides being the essence of bad generalship, such a proceeding is open to unworthy imputations.

In our position as public journalists wo shou'd have referred to these matters before this, had it not been that we felt assured the required explanation would be shortly forthcoming, but the resignation of the late Chairman leaves us no other niternative than to strike ut the root of the evil by requesting the Board to make public all particulars with regard to the recent arbitration cases connected with land compensations. This we feel sure they will do, and thus satisfy the ratepayers, whose minds have been poisoned by the rumors that have been spread abroad, and which, doubtless, are as false as they are varied. It must be remembered that each and every member of the Board is regarded with the same dissatisfaction and suspicion so long as this explanation is withheld. We do not for a moment assert there is airything to conceal, but there is every appearance of it so long as these transactions remain in the background.

It is difficult to understand why there should be the slightest hesitation in making public the particulars of these transactions, as they, having been the result of arbitration, are none of the Board's actions. The responsibility was to a great extent removed from that body when the arbitrators took the matter in hand. Still, the public have an undoubted right to know who were the arbitrators or referee, and the amount awarded in each case. It is for them to judge, whether these awards have been exorbitant or otherwise, and to advise the Board accordingly, not so much for the purpose of objection to the cases already settled, but as a guide to more cautious expenditure in the future. We contend the public have a light to a say in the expenditure of public funds, and this thsy are not in a position to have, unless they are in possession of all particulars. We trust the Board will lose no time in setting this vexed question at rest by a full and unreserved statement.

Owing to press of matter, we are compelled to hold over to our next issue the Borough Council and Board of Health reports, and other interesting matter.

The Board of Health is about taking energetic measures to\ clieck the pollution of creeks and also to abqjish cesspools. These Jatter are fruitful sources of disease in that they poison wells in their neighborhood. Many persons imagine that because anaturalwatercpiirse, runs through their land they can do what they like with it. Of course this position is absurd both by natural equity and statute law. No man has a right to pollute a stream to the detriment of his neighbors who live below him. With regard to cesspools, now universally condemned, we believe there are a considerable number within the Borough. Those on whose premises they exist will have to take immediate steps for their removal as the law gives ample powers to the Board to compel recalcitrant occupiers to comply with its provisions.

We understand that Mr T. Gates, schoolmaster at German Bay, is about leaving the Peninsula to take charge of the Springston school. The change must be looked upon in the light of a promotion for Mr Gates, Springston school being an important one, with an average attendance of 118: We congratulate Mr Gates on the improvement in his prospects, though we believe his departure will be universally regretted.

Some idea of the increasing value of land in Little Akaloa may be formed by the fact that the owner of a section, near the beach is offering to sell, for recreation purposes, at £40 per acre, which price, we hear, will be readily given, provided the locality &c, be approved of by the Committee, We understand, also, that a farmer, whose land is some three miles from the beoch, claims £50 as compensation for an acre of land taken for a new road by the Okain's Road Board.

It will be remembered that at the last regular meeting of the Akaroa County Council, Mr Brown, C.E., who had previously been appointed Engineer to the Council, subject to his obtaining the required certificate from the Surveyor-Gen-eral by a certain date, was allowed an extension of that time to the 23rd of this month, failing which the appointment would be null and void. That date lias now passed, and we learn from reliable authority that Mr Brown has not complied with the terms of the appointment, which accordingly lapses. It is to be hoped the County Council will lose no time in filling the vacancy, as works of the utmost importance to the district are being delayed by there being no proper officer to superintend them.

The Pigeon Bay Road Board notify by advertisement elsewhere the.ir willingness to receive offers of suitable sites within the Bay for recreation purposes, the extent of land required being two acres. All such offers must be bent in on or before Saturday, July 6th, addressed t<3 the Road Board Office, Pigeon Bay. It is gratifying to see that the subject of liecreation Grounds in the various bays is being entered into prompt!)', and with the evident desire to let the public avail themselves of their use without any unnecessary delay.

At a late meeting of the Institute Committee it was resolved to send to England the sum of £35 for books, this being the proportion awarded to the Akaroa Institute out of the subsidy granted to Public Libraries by the General Assembly at its last, session. The Committee will be glad to receive suggestions for books, whether from subscribers or non-subscribers,- till to-morrow inclusive. On the reading room table are catalogues obtained from the Christchurch Public Library to aid in selection. Persons are requested to enter particulars of any books they may desire to be procured in a book provided for the purpose, or to leave the same in writing with the Librarian. The public will be allowed the privilege, until Saturday, July 13th, or! ordering books through the Institute, on paying the Treasurer (at the tims oii giving the order) the published price of the books required, with live percent added to cover cost of freight, &c.

A special meeting of the Akaroa Borough Council was held on Wednesday evening last. In the absence oi: the Mayor, Cr Waeckerlo was voted to the chair. The business of the meeting was to frame by-laws for the regulations of slaughterhouses. The by-laws passed by the Selwyn County Council on the same subject were discussed seriatim and adopted, with the exception of the annual fee being fixed at £2 10s instead of £1. The by-laws appear elsewhere.

We have to remind our readers that the s.s. Akaroa will make a special trip to Pigeon Bay to-morrow, thus affording an opportunity for a visit to Christchurch to those whose daily avocations prevent their availing themselves of: the regular service.