The Loans Proposals.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 263, 15 June 1906, Page 2

The Loans Proposals.

RATEPAYERS’ MEETING AT OPARAU. A meeting |of ratepayers was held at Oparau ou Saturday last (Cr Armstrong in tbe chair) to discuss tbe proposal to raise loans for metalling the roads. After a long discassion, Mr Bell proposed and Mr Mackenzie seconded: —“ That the Council be asked to have a survey and estimate made of the coat of a good, serviceable and straight road from the Junction of the Pirongia West and Okupata road to the boundary of the Waitomo County.”—Carried by fiye votes to four. Mr Bell said he thought the Government should bear the cost of forming a new road, as it was the fault of their engineers that ths road was put in the wrong place. They would be only asking for their rnghts in demanding that the ‘GovernuUnt should bear tbe cost of re-conetructing the road. When the estimate had been obtained a petition should be sent to the Minister for Public Works pointing oat the great disadvantage of the preseu troad and asking the Government to construct a new one, which would not only be of benefit to the present settlers but to those that would come after.

Mr Mackenzie stated that the road had been yery badly laid off, being on the wrong side ot tbe ridge, tbe sun thas baing unable to dry it up. It would be wasting money widening and metalling parts of the present road, wick would continually need repairing.

Other interested ratepayers present objecting to forming a new road, as that work would take a lot of money and mean heavier rating. Both Mr Bell and Mr Mackenzie said they would strongly oppose any loan for widening aud metalling the present Okupata road. All the settlers on the Pirongia West road expressed themselves in favour of raising a loan for metalling.