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Dunstan Times, Issue 1232, 9 October 1885, Page 2

According to a tabulated return laid on the table at the Last Countv Council meeting, the L'uiistan l.'idini; is e timnted to give L 760 3s 3|d to the revenue for the year ending Ma ch 1886, and according to another state raent for the first half of the year the expenditure 1m I been only L27l 19s sd, yet to our surprise of the large sum of L 2600 the Council found themselves in possession of over and above the estimated expenditure for the year, and which they dealt with at that meeting, not one single farthing was allocated to the Dnnstan biding. When we- were tirst made aware of this we could scarcely believe our senses, thinking .that surely there must be some mistake. It is not for us to say that the ratepayers of Dnnstan Riding have been treated with marked- and studied neglect and indifference, bn; it looks so very much like it that we should.be failing in our : duty if we did not remark on ic. If i the Riding wev* in that.state that its I road and creek crossings were all per-! fection that it did not want the ex-

penditure of money, it would have been well, but such is not the case ; indeed, we hold that of the whole County main roads or bye-roads there are no such disgracefully dangerous spots as are in the Dunatan Biding. We will cite for instance the road from Watson’s right straight the way to the Alexandra boundary j then again the hills of 'Soung Hill Creek; then again the crossing and upper approach of Mutton Town Gully; still again the hills leading down to Watson’s Flat on either and both sides, on the ope are holes big enough to swallow up a waggon and eight horses, and on the other the grade is anything but pleasant, especially after rain In the'distribution of public monies to eur mind the most even-handed justice should be dealt out, but as in this instance such has not been the case, we with little hesitancy express our opinion, and draw attention to it. The return referred to In our opening remarks is as follows :

'Estimated Revenue from Ridings Irrespective of Gold Revenue. Hawea ~ .. L 932 12 2J .Dunatan , ... 760 3 3J Mannherikia ... 490 15 4 Matakanui. ... 371 H 8| I-indis .;•• ... 368 15 0 Carriok ~ .. 365 I 9 J , , Clntha 359 80J Earnsciongh .. 297 17 3| Expenditure fob the Past Half Yeas. Lin da L 370 11 8 Dunstan ... 271 19 8 Enrnseleugh ... 198 13 0 Clutha.. ~ 165 9 0 Caniek 141 5 0 , Hawea. ... 124 17 7 Maniiheiikia ... 113 19 0 Matakanui ... 73 12 0