KING COUNTRY ROADS.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 335, 25 October 1907, Page 3

KING COUNTRY ROADS.

(to the editor.) Sib,— Knowing your readiness to help in any good cause I would like to make a few remarks in reference to an article which appeared in the King Country Chronicle on Sept. 27th re backblock roads, in which the editor g 3 ems to insinuate that wj are unable to substantia* e the charges made against the District Rond Engineer. I and Others are prepared to prove these statements. The editor also says that to attempt any improvement by the Bicrifioe of an individual would be a danger to society, but I think any intelligent man will agreo with me that it would be a lasting disgrace to the Government of this country to allow a community to be sacrificed for the Hike of an individual. We have a-ked for an official to be sent from another part of the Dominion to report on the state of the alleged roads in this dis trict, and if be is an honest man he can only corroborate what Mr Gregg stated in his letter to the Evening Post, which you also kindly pub lished. The King Country Chronicle of" October 1 h publishes Mr Burd’s report, and in common fairness to the settlers should have published* a letter written by Mr Gregg in the same paper bb Mr Burd’s reply, but perhaps the Blitor bad not the courage to do so, or was wanting in the common British feeling of fair play, as from the tone of the article it seems that he suggests that a person accused of an offence should be his own judge.—Yours etc., A. 8. ROSE.

(10 THE EDITOR.)

Sib,—Allow me to congratulate you on the impartial way you handle our present trouble with the Roads De partment —very different to the Kuiti Chronicile, which devotes itself to tup porting Mr Burd’s actions, or rather inaction Mr Grpgg in hie reply to Mr Burd’s letter proves completely the absurdity of every one of Mr Burd’s arguments. But Mr Greggzfias ommitted to refer to one statement of the Engineer’s which is an absolute untruth. In his letter, Mr B ird states ••there are a ‘few stones’ between the Marokopaand Kiritubera on the beach.” The following is the truth : Between Marokopa Heads and Waipawa Bay are some rocks 4 chains 28 links in length, in the middle of which is a ledge sft in height exactly, from where ahorse has to jump on to rocks below. Many horses have been injured at this place. Then after crossing Waipawa beach, you come to the Kiritehere rocks 16 chains 80 links. These are very rough and jagged, and no one would think of taking packhorses round there. Mr Burd in his report to Wellington refers to these places as a “few stones.” About six weeks ago Mr Whitcombe and myself, whilst going round from the Marokopa one morning, found the esteemed wife of one of our settlers in a rather precarious position, she havind climbed over the wrong “stone”. However we soon showed her the track again. This particular “pebble” ship’s measurement is between 21 and 22 tms, and there are hundreds of them 9f that size between the W’aipawa and Kiritehere. Is it any wonder that seething discontent is prevalent all through the bush districts at the pre sent regime. We Jhave asked for a public enquiry and we are going to get it.—Yours etc.,

PERCY C. ROSE. Hon. Sec. Settlers Association, Kiritehere.

(TO THE editor).

Sib, —I notice Mr Gregg, of Kiritehere, describing bow tracks are made for the back block settlers in his part of the district. I would like to inform the numerous readers of your paper that Mr Gregg is not by any means the only settlor who has complaints to make as to the way the roads and tracks are made by the Government, in the King Country. There are dozens, yes, I think I may say hundreds, of settlers who are not satisfied by any means with the way Government grants are squandered by the engineers and overseers in charge of the works. Any one reading the above would naturally think the men employed on the works are reaping a harvest, and that they were getting tip top prices for the work. But, oh, dear no. They are not, as in many cases, they are poorly paid. It is mismanagement, not sufficient tool?, laying off work, beginning nowhere and ending nowhere. Too many preliminary expenses, and too many oyerseers and engineers, all who have to get a picking out of the grants for roads. This is where the money goes and not in making roads for the settlers. I will guarantee it the same amount of money was spent, tbs work being done by contract, there would be miles more roading done every yearand fewer complaints made by the settlers. We all know how mueb money is granted by the Government for roads yearly, but how many of us really know how much actually ‘is spent in work, and how much each road costs otherwise, for engineers, overseers, etc. Not one in a hundred. Why not, for the satisfaction of the settlors, the Government make out a ‘•'balance sheet every year showing exactly how the money baa been spent and where ? I am sure there ars enough engineers, overseers, etc., and that they each and all have plenty of pare time to make out a statement of moneys being spent on tbe different roads under their supervision. If this were done, and published yearly, there w.u’.d not be the same dissatisfaction there is at tbe present time. I am

' e y pleased to see Mr Gregg has taken this matter up, and I hope he succeeds in getting an enquiry held into the matter. If sc, and he requires ethers to hack him up, I am sure there are d who will come forward and quote instanojs where they are not satisfied with tbe way roads are made and money is expended. It is a great pity there are not a few more men like Mr Gregg ; perhaps then the Government would make a move and see for themselves that the are most dissatisfied at tbe way roatlmaking is done in the King Country.— Yours, etc., A SETTLER, HAUTURU.