THE TAONUI BUNNYTHORPE ROAD DISPUTE.

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 50, 4 October 1888, Page 3

THE TAONUI BUNNYTHORPE ROAD DISPUTE.

TO TUX KiUTOR OF THE STAR. Sir, — Mr Macarthur, iv his last letter, would try to make out the bad state of the Taonui road and the Feilding. Bunnythorpe road is the fault 'A no oue iv particular, certainly not Mr Macavthui's. I would ahk, as a ratepayer, if wo are not to look to the Road Board, who are we to hold responsible, especially in this case, where large sums of money were being dealt rvith, and the Chairman of the Road Board was also Chairman of the County Council, and so had every opportunity of doing something for this road ? Mr Macarthur always had a majority iv the Board, during his time of office, to back him up. In the face of this he would try and persuade the settlers he never opposed this road. Mr Macarthur tells us that the Board burked the inquiry, and not him. My belief is that he would never have attempted to move the resolution he did, ouly for the very poor attendance of members at the last meeting. He caw his opportunity, and took advantage of it. j I would also ask, if this part of the | ward had not suffered an injustice, what need to compensate it by cancelling the debentures (if compensate you can call it). The ratepayers would far rather pay the debentures than the special rate. Then he goes on to tell us he is still Treasurer, and, as such, Manager of the Board's finances. Surely Mr Macarthur knows that the Treasurer has merely to sign cheques, and that he can scarcely be called Manager of the Board's finances. There is one admission I am surprised to see Mr Macarthur make, namely : that he declined, though strongly pressed, to leave the Board. He may •depend upon it when his friends pressed him they meant what they «aid. Again, as a proof of the very able management of the Board's af* fairs, what do we find : that in October, 1884, a twelve-month before Mr Adsett' s claim was settled, the Board received a letter from the Manager of the Bank of Australasia, telling them not to start any fresh works, the overdraft having reached its limits, the amount at that being £1069. Surely Mr Macarthur need not have feared that things could have been worse •even if he retired. Another proof of hia carefullness of the ratepayers' money took place lately, when he proposed to make a road from Makino road to Kimbolton road, and not a *iugle settler residing on it — truly a Manager. Mr Macarthur says lie has refuted my last two letters. Who told him so ? Not one of the ratepayers living in this much-neg-lected part of the ward. I would point out to Mr Macarthur that, in •discussing a public affair such as this, if he cannot prove Lis case without personal abuse, it must be weak indeed, and I in future decline to notice his replies. — I am, &c, Walteb Baii-ey. i