OKAIN'S BAY ROAD BOARD..

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 497, 19 April 1881, Page 2

OKAIN'S BAY ROAD BOARD..

I To the Editor. Sir,*—Circumstances have prevented me answering a letter on the subject of the Assessment Court, and other matters, connected with the Okain's Bay Road Board and myself, signed David Wright, and which appropriately appeared in your issue of Ist April. With Mr David Wright, personally I have no grievance ; it is only the public questions inovlved that I wish to discuss. Mr Wright's letter abounds in vulgar personalities, which are made to veneer a biid case, and to do tho duty of the proverbial red herring being dragged across the real scent. The letter I certainly would not have condescended to answer, out for the fact that it was submitted to the last meeting of the Board and carries, if not their seal, at least their imprimatur although it is dated the day previous to tlie meeting of the Board. Mr Wright says the reckless manner in which I gave. my sworn testimony before the judge of the Assessment Court seemed strange to more than him. I swore that the roll - o, the table at a meeting when h was presentE; was not signed ; the date I could , not '-.fix but demanded the minute book," which as' usual was not forthcoming. -.. Barker and Moore believed it to be about the 10th .or 15th, whereas it was, on the 29th of January. This has been ascertained beyond the possibility of a doubti and now that the members referred 16" have had an opportunity of seeing -theEinihute? bookj they will be able to. correct their evidence, As to the quibble of its being a copy of the Roll that the clerk kindly.exhibited in the Le Bon's Bay Schoolroom, the official intimation in the Mail stating that such was on view made no mention of its being, a copy, and, indeed, (he Rating Act does not recognise copies of' Rolls being exhibited. This part of the subject being settled by the Judge of the Assessment Court, I am quite saiisiied ; ib have my remedy anon. ...'.. Aly chief reason for writing this letter is to distinctly contradict the vulgar inucndo contained in tlie J'.H, of Mr Wright's letter, I that 1 ha,!.! contrived to-worm myself--into A'r OiiivierE comKiU-uco, and so abuse ;E Is, will only be. necessary for me to j t-'.y in rep'}' thitt I. never cither saw or had , any coij;inutii(.-M-rioi! with MrUliivier duringthe whole of hi.:s recent fttay in Akaroa,

What I alluded to in my first letter ij reference to the funds and books of tin Board was common rumor in Akaroa. ] heard it with the greatest, possible regre that any body of my fellow-colonists wer< capable of laying.themselves open to th< grave remarks of so impartial and capabk a public officer ns Mr Olliviei is universally acknowledged to be. Since writing my first letter, in mj position as Chairman of the County.Council I have received a letter from Mr Ollivier. Provincial District Auditor, informing me that he has written to the Minister in reference to the Okain's Road Board, advising* the abolition of the Board. He writes thus :—•« I hope that the County Council has not granted any mpney to Okain's Bay. The accounts of that Board are altogether unsatisfactory, and , l have written to the Minister in reference to them. I should advise the abolition of the Board, and merging the whole thing in the county, or at least placing'the whole thing in the hands of a responsible commissioner. The Board has entirely los.t my confidence. ,, — J. "0./P.D.A! ' If the Board and its officer are impervious to these remarks, surely the ratepayers cannot long remain so. One very irrilftting thin,? aboct th_e whole matter is the moral derived from the fact that aijtei one has done with donkeys, and turning them out into fresh paddocks, they often kick viciously.—-Yours, eU?.,. ' . • ■ . ■ , : JAMES DALGLISIL - Lβ Bon's Hill, April J4,1881. . , * ."