BOUNTIES AND ROAD BOARDS.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 360, 30 December 1879, Page 2

BOUNTIES AND ROAD BOARDS.

To the Editor of the Akaroa Mail

Sir, —Someone signing himself ''County" in your issue of the 23rd, seems to have gone to a great deal of trouble to find out what it had cost the different Road Boards for clerk's salaries, &c. Since he is op to the business so well, 1 should feel obliged to him if he would let us know what the County Council had paid up to the present time for building their offices, amounts paid to engineers, surveyors, &c, and likewise all amounts paid to members for travelling expenses, honoraria to Chairmen, and Clerks' salaries.

It appears to me that they have done literally nothing for the good of the country, except travelling and its expense and building chambers of ajfar too elaborate style for the present financial state.

There is no doubt the Road Boards have been rather extravagant; but they in turn had a lot of money to spend, and can shew a fair amount of work for the money expended. A few years back, in Okain's Bay, the Clerk was paid £25 a year, and did his work well for that; aiid it ought, and could be done for the same amount now. I feel certain there are many competent men in Okain's District willing to do the work, and neither vote themselves travelling expenses, nor give any £50 or £100 to their chairman for a few months work when they have a clerk paid for doing it; but would do the work of the Board in a less expensive way.—Yours, Ac,

ROAD BOARD,