MANCHESTER ROAD BOARD.

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 117, 9 April 1889, Page 2

MANCHESTER ROAD BOARD.

TO THK KDITOH OF THE STAR Sir, — I should vei*y much like to publicly air tie sentiments of those people, who rather hastily, I think, accused myself, as well as others, of selfishnesss, both at a poll taken for the loan for the Oroua Bridge (and which was luckily defeated), and at Saturday's meeting of the Road Board. It might be asked why I allude to the defeat of the above mentioned bridge bo I will explain : The previous loan for No. 5 ward (bridge included) was for exactly the same amount as it now stands for the roads alone ; therefore the deduction must necessarily be that a great part of the loan would have been expended in the lower part to the detriment of the settlers in other parts of the ward, who would have had to be content with very indifferent roads, instead of being benefitted by good substantial ones. Ido not think that this can be denied, as the large additional sum demanded for the loan certainly shows that the roads could not possibly have been made decently from the money voted in the first proposal. It seems almost incredible that there should be such obstinate and thick-headed people who, after my clearly showing that I was acting in opposition to my own interests, still talk and prate about my selfishness. : Let me ask anyone, Mr Editor, where the selfishness is apparent. Is it in those, and there are many of them, who try to get the settlers' money spent as equally as possible on all roads, or is it those who, for re .'.sons impossible to account for, try to overthrow the prospects of others, who certainly have an equal right to be considered, just because they find that they will have to wait a little longer before they can legally have the money expended on their own roads ? Some roads must of necessity wait, as the whole of the loan cannot be got at present, and as their road is absolutely an illegal one, as Mr Macarthur took great pains to show, and put before the members, I cannot see where the objection can arise, unless some desire to practice what they preach so hard against, namely : pure selfishness. Mr William Bailey said it was understood at the poll that this road on the Railway line was to be formed and metalled, and under that impression, with its endorsement by Mr Bull, the voters of that district polled for the loan. Ido not doubt this statement in the least, but surely the other settlers just as certainly were led to believe that their roads were also to be done. And now, on account of this illegal road, of which Mr Bull went so far as to say that he was willing to bear his share of any liability under which the Board might place itself (and in saying which he was perfectly safe, as not one of the other members were willing to suffer even for the sake of so important a thoroughfare as the Railway Reserve), the whole ward is to be thrown back as regards the roads. Some time ago I heard a great deal about the expense incurred by No. 5 ward in polling, and someone went so far as to try to impress the Board with the futility of trying to call for the second loan, as it would only be wasting money. They were quite willing, however, to get a loan from the bank, and pay nearly double interest and the principal on top of it. They cared not what became ol the other roads, theirs they must have ; and yet these same parties prate about selfishness. Bah ! As one gentleman said on Saturday before the meeting sat : " All I want is an outlet to my place ; I don't care what becomes of the rest " ; and not two minutes afterwards coolly iuformed me that we were utterly selfish, and some more that would not read well in print. I wonder if these parties would have taken, as much pains and trouble to hold back the loan until this road was included, had this said road been in our end of the ward ? But I need hardly ask the question, as, oi course, such very unselfish people would have acted the same — no doubt: I, together with the others affected, fee] sorry for those who have had their hopes destroyed, as well as for those who have wasted time and labour — figuratively speaking, on a fool's errand — in preparing tenders for the several works. However, we must hope for smoother sailing after the dissolution of the present Board in May — I am, &c, W. H. Fletcher, Ashurst Road.