THE AORANGI BRIDGE.

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 76, 30 December 1886, Page 3

THE AORANGI BRIDGE.

TO THE MDITOR OF THE STAR. Sir, — I see by the article in your issue of Ddcomtaer 21 as regards the polling for the bridge, you are placed iv a very awkward position. You are trying to show the Feildiugites, or what ever they are called, the way to eat. It puts me iv mind of myself years ago. When I was a boy iv the Old Country, I have robbed many a . bird's nest, and often found it difficult to get the young birds to eat. I have often had to poke the food down their throats with a stick. If the food was prepared and laid in front of them they would aot pick it up, and if they were a little too old in the mouth when I tried to poke it down with my stick, they would, frequently put it out again. But even my position was very much pleasaater that yours is. I did know what kind of birds to deal with, whether I had to give them sopped bread or boiled eggs. Now, sir, I think you are situated far worse than that. You have to deal with a lot that I cannot find a name for. I was going to call them jackasses, but to call them that would be disgraciug a once high honored beast, and I do not like to dishonor him, for as stupid as the poor donkey is, he seems to .have sense enough to know when the food is put into his mouth, therefore I will not despise him. There used to be a nest of birds living 1 near the Oroua river, the male bird of w hich I beiieve was called Blatherskite. They did not appear to be able to know when their food was put before them and they left it, and now it lias left them. Sir, there appears to be in the Borough of Feildiiig a great many of that kind, therefore 1 will call them Blatherskites for the sake of a name. You, sir, appear to be trying to feed them, or in other words to put the means of getting the food within their reach; but they, poor things, are not able to see it. However, you must still keep on, with a little more feeding, and a little more stick poking, they may be reared yet. I am now going to give you my opinion as to the best means of getting the bridge over the river at Aoraugi, and the road to Bunnythorpe. The settlers some time back, as you are aware, held a meeting to decide ou the best means to get the saM bridge and road done. At that meeting they chose a committee to wait on the Manawatu Hohd Board and the Feilding Borough Council, to know what assistance those bodies would give towards the work. The Manawatu Boad Board met them in a very fair mauner by offering to hand over a large tract of land adjoining the river for rateable purposes aa security for the money to be borrowed for the road and bridge. You know, sir, how the Borough Council lias treated the matter. However, 1 think there is yet a chance. Under the Loans to Local Bodies Act the Government may lend money to a local body partly on the security of a special rate, and partly ou public works, but the rate must represent not less tLaii one half of tht> annual liability on the loan. Now, suppose the Manchester li.»ad Board decided to make the road and to put up the bridge, a rate will have to be struck, of course, over a certain district. Tlih bridge could be tolled as a security for the other portion of the money. I may be informed that the toll would cost too much to collect, but I cannot see that. There would have to be a roadman in the Bunnythorpe district very soon, and he could live at the toll house, and his wife oould collect the tolls for a few shillings per week. All the ratepayers in the district over which, the rate runs should be allowed to pass toll free. I believe that would be within the meaning of, the Act if my idea could be carried out. It would be something charming to hear the beautiful notes of these Blutherskitiau birds when they came to the toll gate, and I think, sir, by your feeding and the toll gate man's poking, they might be brought round poor things. In fact, I have hopes of them yet. — I am &c., One in the Mhd.