Correspondence

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 111, 19 April 1888, Page 2

Correspondence

MANCHESTER ROAD BOARIX

TO TBR EDITOR OF THE STAH. Sir, — Will you allow mo a fe^r. lines in reply to the letter from '• Upper Taonui" in your last issue. Hia denunciation of the late poll as & dodge of Messrs Bull, Bailey, Jones, and Co. to get the bridge and the Aorangi- Bunny thorpe road »t the cost of No. 5 ward is too contemptible to notice, and I would suggest that in any future communication your correspondent should append his name and address. He says he has a road and bridge which have been paid for in the price oi his land. As No. 5 ward is Manchester Blodc land, and as we all know the terms on which it wa» sold, the inaccuracy is palpable. His road and other roads were paid for, or rather are being paid for, by the whole of the ratepayers in the ward, and those unfortunates who got no road now ask those who were so fort* unato to go security for a loan to make theirs, the difference being that in the first case there was a heary special rate to be paid, while in this the entire rates of those in No. 5 ward, if the poll be carried, will not be increased by more than one farthing in the pound, if by so much. Any other increase that takes place, having to be borne by the ratepayers of the proposed new ward, I may say that had the informality not occurred in connection with the late poll — for j which Mr Bull was no more responsible than any other member of the ' Board present at the meeting— Messrs Bull, Bailey, and Jones would have voted for the 2£d rate, and used all their influence to get the other ratepayers to do so too. "Upper Taonui" appears quite oblivious of the fact that it is part of the proposition to complete all the unfinished roads in the ward, most of which are in his district. He puts an increased value of £1 an acre on the properties adjoining the line, consequent- on the bridge and road, and is illogical enough to argue that no other benefit would accrue to the district by the completion of these works. I very much regret the glaring exaggeration in this statement. He is naturally nervous as to the liabilities of the proposed new ward, and had he read a temperate and sensible leader which appeared in the Manawatu Times a few days ago, he would be clearer on the subject. The liabilities would consist on the outlay of the road, which is unfortunately a trifle, and I have no doubt an allowance would be made for the rates paid for the last ten years. Arrangements as to details can only be dealt with by the two Boards. Those gentlemen who have given much valuable time to try and get the district out of the . disgraceful condition it is in at present art* in a position, to guage the feelings of the ratepayers <ra the question very closely, and can name almost every man in opposition to the scheme, and 1 am convinced " Upper TaonuiV heroic appeals to refuse to sign the petition will not have much effect. The benefit the township and district will derive from this road and bridge is so apparent, and has been so frequently pointed out in your valuable paper, that I need not further refer to them. — I am, &0., Gh Bsvzcraxoir Jonss.