THE MAIN ROAD MUDDLE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 470, 1 June 1912, Page 6

THE MAIN ROAD MUDDLE.

To the Editor. Sir, —In your iause of the 22nd May, there ig a leading article headed "The Main Road Muddle." Would you kindly allow mo !o point out to you that there i s no muddle at all so far as the ratepayers are concerned. The muddle, if there is such, is with those who will not have to put their hands in their pockets to either metal or maintain the main arterial road. As this is a question that would vitally affect the few ratepayers here for the benefit of the people of the Dominion, I deny you, sir, or any other persons outside the area which would be rated to meddle in our affairs so far as it applies to us rating ourselves or otherwise. You say that in view of the fact that there is five miles of the main road handed over to the county and is in urgent need of remetalling. The wisdom of the resolution passed at the Pio Pio meeting by 90 per cent, of the ratepayers was hard to discern. You have no difficulty in discerning a resolution parsed at a previous meeting by persons who are not ratepayers, and a good number of those who were responsible for that resolution not even residing in the county. How very logical you are, Mr Editor. Can you give me any reason why a few settlers who are only struggling along trying to make a living should metal sixteen miles of the main road, because the Government have handed over to the County Council an already metalled five miles of that road. You say an objectionable spirit of antagonism to the previous meeting was evident at the ratepayers' meeting. If you mean the antagonism to apply to ths legal standing of the previous me?ting you are correct in using that word. How would you and the residents of Te Kuiti feel, were we to see some advantage to ourselves by unduly meddling in your borough affairs? Would you not politely tell us that, as you had to find the money, you were quite capable of looking after your own interests. You also surmise that we will have to undertake the burden of the main road in the near future. That appears to be rather a new idea of yours, considering that your previous leading articles were always in favour of the Government metalling arid maintaining the main arterial road, but suppose editors, as well as members of Parliament, are liable to change their opinions. Six months ago our member for the Taumarunui electorate considered the Government were not doing their duty in not metalling it quicker than they are doing. Since he has become an M.P. he turns on us now, and tells us to do it ourselves. Ifc is a great change on his part from the time he was going to put metal on the roads instead of promises. Possibly, sir, you might be correct in surmising that we will have to maintain it, but it. does not follow that it is just to us to have to form and metal it in the first place. Let me point out to you that from the 10-mile peg to the ISA-miles there are eight roads leading from the main arterial road. Three of these are very important ones with a number of by roads leading off them. Now, sir, do

you not consider that the settlers who will have to metal and maintain those roads have not a right to ask the Governent to continue metalling the main arterial road, a road that is used by people from the North Cape to the Bluff We are not foolish enough to approach the Government and say to them "Hands off! You are too slow; we must do it ourselves." Oh.no; that would be fatal to our interests ever aftrewards What possible evil we could see in awaiting a report from a committee legally formed or otherwise, you fail to see. If you faii to see the point, we do not, bsc3U3e, if we, the ratepayers, have to put our hands in our pockets to pay off that loan, most people might consider it our duty to form our own committee, and not allow persons who will not be responsible for a shilling of tne loan to form one for U3 You mention, also, that in formulating a scheme for the metalling of the road in question the first consideration is an equitable adjustment of responsibility. I agree with you there, sir. You also admit that it is a complex question, and that he common sense course to adopt is to appoint a committee representative of the different districts an interests affected. How do you make that statement fit in with your other statement, viz: "What possibie evil could they see in awaiting a report from a committee legally formed or otherwise; sir, if this were a question that affected the Dominion or even the country your comments might apply, but as in this instance it only affects a few ratepayers, 1 fail to see why you should identify yourself with, as, I fear, the people who have most to gain and nothing to lose. —I am, etc,

P. O'DWYER.

(Mr O'Dwyer's letter merits a little explanation, though, for the moat part, no reply to it is necessary. The first meeting merely affirmed the desirability of having the road metalled, and appointed a committee to collect information, and they were not pledged to anything. It is oad policy to refuse knowledge. Probably we would agree in the rnair. with Mr O'Dwyer's concerning the details of any scheme for the purpose of metalling the road, or for any other progressive measure in the district. No opportunity was given of ascertaining details or fur propounding any scheme. As Mr O'Dwyer admits it to be a complex question, there is all the mure reason why information is desirable. Our suggestion to set up a representative committee is quite consistent. When the report of the first committee was submitted to a general meeting o? all those affected by the scheme, the work of that committee would be accomplished. In order to ventilate the matter thoroughly it would surely be a wise move to then set up a committee representative of every section or district which would contribute towards the scheme, and having the information of the first committee before it such a committee would be in a position to discuss the matter from every point of view. Surely Mr O'Dwyer does not object to newspaper comment on any matter of public interest. The columns of the Chronicle are always open to ventilate any matter nffecting the welfare of the people. We prefer to think that Mr O'Dwyer really believes we are anxious for the welfare and progress of the district on equitable and just lines as he is. At present there is no real question at issue. If the necessary information were acquired and a scheme propounded there would be a tangible question to agree or disagree upon. Until that is done there will be a great deal of futile talk which cannot benefit anybody. —Ed. K.C.C.)