36 YEARS AGO.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5458, 7 August 1929, Page 4

36 YEARS AGO.

(From the “Ohinemuri Gazette” of August 5, 1893.) Ohinemuri County Council. The above body held its monthly meeting on Thursday last. Present, Crs. Edwards (chairman), Robson, Phillips, Nash, Cassrels, McGruer, Bowler, and Hollis. Mr R. Clements wrote asking that the old county tramway at Karangahake be repaired.—Foreman to report. A long discussion took place on the state of the roads, and it was agreed on all sides that the best that could be done was being done. All councillors were of opinion that the Government must be called upon for substantial assistance. It was totally impossible for the council to keep the long stretch of main roads in anything like . repair. Cr. Nash was extremely strong in his denunciation of the Government. Their promises of assistance were made with the intention of never being kept, and their boasted Liberalism was merely a farce. The country districts were being shamefully neglected. Cr. Phillips remarked that the time had come when the Government n.ust assist, if not take full control of main roads. Eventually it was agreed to ask for substantial assistance from the Government for all the branches of main road within the country. Locals. Dr. Marinus Friessbourg, of Heidelberg, Germany, intends commencing practice at Paeroa. The doctor has had medical experience at Calcutta, Singapore, and Java, and has for some eight months been practising in Taranaki. His diploma is registered at Wellington. Yesterday was Arbor Day. It was an enjoyable sight to see the youngsters with their “trees” presented by the school committee for them to plant wherever they liked. The only “demonstration” we saw was young Paeroa going round with his "tree” in his mouth, offering to barter the same for a cigarette. Paeroa Post Office. Mr Edwin Edwards, who has for some time been trying to obtain much-needed assistance for the postmaster at Paeroa, received yesterday the under-noted communication from the Wellington General Post Office : “Sir, —I have the honour, by direction, to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the 19th inst., asking that the postmaster, Paeroa, be granted additional assistance in the office, and that a letter-carrier be appointed. In reply, I have to inform you that the Postmaster-General has been pleased to agree to the appointment of a cadet to the Paei'oa office.' He is, however, unable to see his way at present to grant a delivery of letters by carrier.—W. Gray, Secretary.” PASSING NOTES. The County Roads. It is becoming every day more evident ahd apparent that the Government must do more towards the making and maintaining of main roads than it has done in the past. Indeed, there are’ not wanting those who argue—with very strong reason, too —that such main highways should be a colonial matter, and that the work be done at the expense and under the supervision of the general Government altogether. Let us. not talking generally, but with local instances, take the case of this county. Take, say, the HikutaiaPaeroa road. That is bad—very bad indeed —no sane person will deny. But from what source can come the revenue whereby it may be made better ? as gold duty and goldfields revenue is required to make and maintain the roads, tracks, and bridges within the goldfields proper. This revenue is, indeed, not sufficient for such work. The goldfields are extending—Lowrie’s, the Komata, Birney’s, and other newly discovered finds are all off the old tracks—and it is imperative that such valuable portions of the goldfields . should be connected as soon as possible with the centre. This, as has been said, needs all the gofldfields revenue ; and, indeed, more, so that none but those ignorant of the position would argue that goldfields revenue should be diverted from where it accrues and be expended upon a portion of the main trunk road, such as the Hikutaia-Paeroa.

But the rates ? asks someone. Yes, the rates —the much-talked-of rates. If we had to rely on rates we would he in a pretty mess. The whole of the rates for last year, for instance, waS £360, including arrears of about £l5O. The whole of the Tates collectable on lands from the limit of the Paeroa township to the Hikutaia bridge would not form and metal 10 chains of the road ; they would not keep one surfaceman on its whole length stuffing holes with ti-tree ; nor would forty years’ collection of these rates drain and form an-d level and metal the road as it should be done. Why, more than 10 yeans of collectable rates from land fl renting this road have been already expended on the one-mile length known as the Komata Swamp. And yet the County Council is continually being dinned with the croak, “rates, rates, rates.” Where, then, is the mon.ey to make and maintain this road to come from? Will the Paeroa township people agree that a portion of their revenue, rates, and license fees be expended upon it—the Paeroa people who dwell in the morass, in a horrible pit and the miry clay—thinkest thou, will they agree to wallow any deeper than at present ? Put on thy coat of mail and ask them, and verily thou shalt be assaulted with many blows. Or, perchance, the Kanangahaloe township will come to the rescue ; the denizens of that Venice of Mud, Waihi; the submerged tenth of Netharton, or the mudlarks of Waitoa ; couild they not be called upon, to maintain this stretch of main road- By the holy St. Swithin, henceforth the patron saint of this favoured clime, prepare th y

mausoleum he who would ask it. In a word, the Government must, must undertake the control of these main roads, all of them. They are colonial, not local, assets (or liabilities), and surely, out of all this boasted surplus of the Lord knows how many thousands which is alleged to be wrapped in the napkin of the Colonial Treasurer, something might be spared for such absolutely necessary works. If, indeed, there be a surplus, as has been so stoutly averred, what is the use of it if not to keep the country in repair..