Correspondence

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 78, 18 December 1890, Page 3

Correspondence

♦ Mr Chamberlain a!n t $ the apiti roads. TO THK vbITOK -OK f»E STAR SIRy — I did ivot comment in my 3ast letter on the squandered money because I iconsidered I had given ample proof to support my contention $ but since Mr Homer so desires, I have taken the trouble to sift it. The results are not what Mr Horfter Expected. Instead of the corn falling to Mr Homer's lot it is xmly the chaff. I will deal first with the work done on Mcßeth's line. 1* I have been to the trouble to go np to Mcßeth's Sine ftrfcl "measure the filling done, and find it does not exceed 33 yards 14 feet, tor the Measurement of ike filling done is •as follows-: 65 feet long by 16 feet wide, with.- an average of 1 foot in depth. There is also a drain dti<; which should not ocfcupy more than, three hours, also a culvert to com>spoud with the drain, and to put this culvert in the roadman had another man to help him fforr r two days, at 7s per day. As Mr Homer deems me incapable of judging road work, I have taken the trouble to get a well-known contractor to give an estimate of this work and it is as follows : 38 yards 14 feet being the amount of soil shifted, at 6d amouuts to 10s lid ; taext comes the drain and culvert which 'any man should put in in two d lys. Now, seeing that a man can shift 50 or 60 yards ■of soil similar to that in question in one ■day, there is at the outside three-and-a-half days' work onj this piece of work which, at 7s per day, amounts to £1 4.s 6d. 2. Mr Homer stated in his last letter that the roadman was nearly three weeks 'out of the five. Ido not know what. Mr Homer means by nearly " nearly " three week.«, but I will take it at two-and-a-half weeks, which amounts to fifteen working 'days, at 7s per day! amounts to £5 ss, ; and the above-mentioned 14s added makes £5 15a. Now, £5 19s against £1 4s 6d is ■something considerable. Does Mr Homer not call that squandering money ? Mr Homer seems grieved at being 'charged with indifldrent wardenship, a charge I still firmly; maintain. Ha also seems grieved because I did not first write "46 the Board. Wellj my reason for not doing this was simply that during conversations with other settlers on the Block I was told it was of little use writing to the , Board and that I had better send a letter ' to the local paper. Now, seeing that this is a free country, I; used my ownjudgrnent, and my letter! has had the desired 'effect of enlivening; the roadman, and ■ -arousing Mr Homer to a keener sense of ' his duties. If Mr Homer thinks the matter is not yet sufficiently sifted let him bring a competent man down with him and let me know when he is coming, and 1 will go and take a pompetent man with me and assist him to sift it more thoroughly. I will now bring this correspondence to -a close by wishing j you and yours the =best compliments of jthe season, and tendering } r ou my best thanks for the publication of this correspondence.— I am &c, Wj E. Chamberlain.