THE MAORI HILL ROAD BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 3456, 20 March 1874, Page 3

THE MAORI HILL ROAD BOARD.

| To the Editor. i Sib, — After reading the letter of -your correspondent, 44 Not of Maori Hill,” I was under the impression that I had misunderstood your report of the proceedings at the appeal meeting, held in the school-room, Half-way Buah, which append in yonr. .issue of the 9th mat. Turning it up again and reperusmg it, however, I am prepared to assert that it is. correct; and having been. present at the meeting 1 can also assert that the statements of your correspondent are incorrect in almost every particular. He may have been thoroughly hood-winked, as he say, shut wit»> one or two exceptions (as stated in your report) all the appellants appeared to be satisried with the treatment thoy received at the hands of tue Board on the occasion referred ■o. I know nothing of the illtreatment which the ratepayers have received from the Board **in previous years,” but that all were not indignant at the treatment received from tne present Board, is evident from the fact that one (if not both) of the two ratepayers from Maori Hill who accompanied the Water Company's deputation, to ask separation from His Honor the Superintendent, has, since the appeal day, expressed himself, at a meeting of the ratepayers, as perfectly satisfied with the manner in which his appeal was .dealt with, and. declines to attend any more meetings having reference ,to the question of separation. As to the distance of ;the place of meeting,.l think it will be found, if (measured* that ho appellant from the subdivision. had to travel more than one and a-half ml!es, and vvhen it is considered that with one exception the members of the. Board travel the. i same, or a greater distance, to. attend each .meeting of the Board, and that, many children travel the same distance' (from Maori Hill to the scboolhouse, Wakari), in which, thp meeting was held), the hardship, cannot be so very great as your correspondent would have us believe. ■ • The valuation of properties assessments, as wed as the opinion that, 44 It is surely, a question for the General Koad Board to inquire into" (the General Hoad Board having been defunct for -omo years) appear to,o absurd to.be treated seriously. L7los per acre cannot, I think, be considered top. nigh an annual value for town Sections,'when the str' eta have to be made at the,; public expense. Perhaps the better way would be for the Board to > reduce the ..assessment to -the same rate as ordinary land, and allow the proprietors to make 'their own streets, dome ratepayers think it unfair that they, having made tne district; roads, should be taxed, to make streets -ip private townships for the sole benefit of those speculators who, having purchased suburban sections at a lew rate, cut them into town allotments and sell them at an advance (in some instances) of several hundreds per cent. I :think it very questionable whether , the Assembly ever contemplated their subsidy being applied to mch a purpose, and whether the General government would, allqw it to.be so applied, if cognisant of'the facts.' I,'believe "tha cause of complaint does exist in* the district. Works areat a standstill,and the Board cannot meet the demands, made upon it, but of this I am quice sure that if an enquiry is instituted by the ’ Go vemmfent, the cause will be found to be one over which the present Board has no control —Yours, > o , ‘ ' ■ 44 KOT OF SUNNISIDE.”