LEANING ON A BROKEN REED.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 979, 21 November 1910, Page 5

LEANING ON A BROKEN REED.

\ ,SORE HEARTS AT WANGANUL <By Toleirrai)h.-SDedal Correspondent.! _ Wanoanui, November 19. ;Fhe cavalier attitude of (in ■■allegedly dM? T, y Me i eal ] '«*ssities) of this district, las caused a 'good ■ deal of f«i: ~ ing, and -great dissatisfaction' was cV pressed at a-meeting of tho Chamber of Commerce this morning .at the treatSed m t d l l0 ° Ui bs ' Ministe "' •««•&« . Sd. Tery 60re on tbo sub J ect ■ -As instancing tho peculiar methods of §" P 0!?"""*?*. «» «*e of the Pa, apara Road, the mom highway from here to the interior, was quot«i.. Some time ago ••■ -5,° Go ™™«nt granted a subsidy of ■'■ ?"« \ P f t0 X 2 ,000 tor falling the road, tho Mangawhero Road- Board to ... raise Mm. Having exceeded its borI rowing powers for the year, tho board could not raise the loan, and tho Wanganm .ConntjvCounoil-the parent body- • asked the Government if, in the event of the road being declared a countv > inefoad, of a district,- road, and tho Afanra•whero Board bein? willing,, would the Government transfer tho loan to the County Council. Tho Government re- : -plied in the affirmative, and stops were talcen to . raise the loan, and the • road was declared a connty road. Then, after giving the promise, a telegram came from Mr. Smith, M.P., saying that the Goveru- ' mpnt refused to keep it, and would withdraw the subsidy, because it wns of opinion that the money could, bo spent to better advantage elsewhere. The feeling here seems to bo that trusting to a Government promise is very much like leaning on a broken reed. A '' poll on the loan is to be taken next week, i but, of course, if the Government refuses to make good its promise, the money , cannot be spent, as tho County Council will not have enough in hand, and, consequently, the settlers will have to suffer.. . The chamber discussed tho-situn- ■ tioa in a very disgusted framo of mind, ' but, nevertheless, resolvod to "shake Ministers up" on the matter.