Correspondence.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 310, 3 May 1907, Page 2

Correspondence.

[While freely opening our oolumnii for the discuaaion of pnbhc matters we do not aeceeearily ider ify ourselves with the opinons expreued by correspondents. We wish thia to be distinctly understood.] THOSE DRAIN PIPES. (to thk editor.) Sir,—l noticed a letter by “Oparou Settler” in last week’s paper, regarding using sun-glazed drain pipes for culverts on county roads. I agree with the writer, but as a substitute for Limber I would like to see the usual road culvert concrete pipes used. All that is required is a set of sheets of say 14 or 16 guage black iron moulds, the cost of which would not be much. There is plenty of suitable shingle at Oparau, and the labour is small compared to the gain in having good everlasting culverts. I can testify to their having come into general use. and superseded the fragile drain pipes io use here.—Yours, etc., ANOTHER OPARAU SETTLER. PROPERTY RIGHTS. (to the editor ) Sib, —It is evident that considerable ignorance exists in Oparau regarding property rights. On the WaibinU property at Oparau some person-' have been criminally guilty of wilful destruction of property. A large patch of fern land has been burned Such conduct deserves the punishment provided by law, and i't would be tn the interest of settlers if these offenders were brewght to book. It is the duty of anyone knowing such parsons nJ their evil acts to imk> their information pablic property, thu? letting the law take its course.—Yours, etc , OPARAU SETTLER.

OPARAU ROADS. (to the editor.) Sir, —Tba way in which Or Arm strong tried to shelve the petition re the above at the last me ting of the Council is amusing. He said he was unable to see the benefit of the devia tion asked for. What does this show? That Or Armstrong’s inability to see the value of this deviation that we want another representative—at least one who uses our and not a Kawhia resident. Engineer Armstrong also reported unfavourably on the deviation. For the information of those interested I ask any one riding from Mr T. Anderson’s up the Mangipapa to look across the creek from the roid when those who are capable will notice bow the Government surveyor or engineer who was responsible for the present road erred. To continue to waste money in tinkering up this mis placed road is absurd. We want our roads made to be of use to future generations, and to quietly allow money to be wasted is not my style. It is not by wasting money that the persons who petitioned the Council no. to waste the ratepayers money have hewn homes out of the solid bush, and if we find any more money thus wasted we shall have to a&k our member to resign, and put one who will do our wishes in his place.—Yours, etc-, OKUPATA.

Mr Marcus, accountant of the M iro kopa Milling Co,, writes:—“The Maro kopa Milling Co. complain very bitterly that opportunites appear to be frequently lost by the s.s. Rothesay of working the Maroknpa ba-. The mill is blocked with dressed fibre, a large proportion of which would have realised a considerable advance on current values had it been removed witbin a reasonable time after manufacture. A full load of stores, etc-, has also been awaiting shipment at Kawhia for some time past. Messrs Farmar and Smale, Directors of the Co., were sur- ' prised to learn on their return to Kawhia on Tuesday afternoon that the Rothesay had considered the Marokopa bar unworkable that morning, whereas, as a matter of fact, the bar was smooth enough to be negotiated by an ordinary Maori canoe."