Correspondence

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 133, 9 June 1888, Page 2

Correspondence

MANCHESTER ROAD BOARD.

TO THE EDITOK OP THE STAH. Sir,— -I notice by advertisement in your colurau3 that a meeting of ratepayers will be held in the Taonui school-house to discuss the loan proposals for No. 5 ward. I fancy they require a little discussing. You' are aware a rote was taken, and carried, to borrow £4000 to construct roads in No. 5 ward and half cost of a bridge over the Oroua river, a portion of the Manawatu Road District to bear the other half cost, but the vote was informal. After the vote was taken in No. 5 ward it. was found that the rate on the 18 ratepayers in the M&nawatu District would be 2£d in the £, so a soheme was invented to tack these :18 ; ratepayers on to No. 5 ward K and 9trike a rate over the 18 and No. 5, but this appears to have failed. Now the Board are taking another vote, as in the first proposal. I would like to ask, where is the other £1500 coming from to complete the bridge? I do not think those 18 ratepayers will pay the 2£d rate, therefore I do not see: what grounds the Board have for bringing the proposal before the ratepayers again. Ido not think there is one ratepayer in No. 5 ward who would not submit willingly to be taxed for the roads, -but " the bridge is the sore point, As you are aware, Mr Editor, the proposed site of the bridge is at the junction of four different local bodies, viz : Manchester Road District, Manawatu Road District, Sandon- Carnarvon Road District, and Feilding Borough Council ; then why should No. 5 ward and those 18 ratepayers bear the whole cost of the bridge when their neighbors will benefit by it as much as they will ? If I mistake not a resolution was passed at the last meeting of the Board to the effect that the whole of the Manchester Road District should assist to keep the Onepuhi bridge in repair; why not do the same with regard to the Aorangi bridge?- — I am, &c, Paib Play. [If " Fair Play" attends the meeting referred to above we have no doubt matters will be explained to his satisfaction. He is premature about the Onepuhi bridge being now a charge on the whole district. No such resolution was passed at the last meeting of the Board. A proposal to that effect was made, but held over.— Ed. F.S.]