Manchester Road Board

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 52, 29 October 1891, Page 2

Manchester Road Board

The Manawatu Daily Times on Tuesday last published the following article, with which we now deal in our leading column : — -On yarious occasions we have called the attention of ratepayers in No. 6 Ward of Manchester Eoad District to the fact that it is' eminently 'desirable that they should be relieyed from liability in connection with the Lower Gorge bridge. This bridge, it will be remembered, was built by means of a loon raised on the security of rates over tbe Ward, but the establishment of a toll-gate enabled the collection of the' special rate to be despensed' with". At- any time,-how-ever, circumstances may arise .under which the revenue from tolls will not be available for use in "meeting the payment of interest, "&c, and the rate would have to be collected. The question of taking over r the Gorge road -is now being discussed by the local bodies - interested, and the Pahiatua County Council'' has made a proposition, which will be acceptable to residents^ of the Ward. That Council is willing to take over, tha road and the two bridges, to abolish, the lower toll gate, and relieve the Ward from all , liability, and is willing' also that any other of the local bodies should take over the whole m'its steads Mr John Cotter, with his usual energy and public spirit, has, we observe, convened a public meeting for Saturday evening to consider- .this subject, and In view of the possibility 'of the Manchester Board deciding to take oyer the road, to appoint <a deputation to wait on that body and represent the views of the public in the locality: .It^is stated that the Minister is quite willing to'agree to the Pahiatua Council's proposal, and that there are no difficulties m the way of this matter being placed on a satisfactory , basis. Tha ratepayers have .no objection, whatever to the Manchester Board taking it.oyer, but consider that in this event they should also be relieved of their liability in con- . -neotion with the bridge, and' that the Lower Gorge toll should be removed to the centre of the Gorge road. ' There is justice in, the claim of these' ratepayers, who should no longer" be left .liable' for payment towards the cost -of a work which has not only been' a great' public convenience, but has proved highly remunerative to the local body 'having its management.