MAIRETAHI RIDING

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 21 April 1921, Page 3

MAIRETAHI RIDING

[to the editorl

SIR, —Will you kindly allow me space to draw the attention of the Mairetahi riding ratepayers to | what is taking place within the riding, so far as work is concerned. It is now nvd months since the county election took place—on 10th Nov. last. On the following day all our men and teams, which had been very active for a few weeks in doing votecatching jobs, were shifted to Kuraeu riding, and up to the present time we have not had a man working within Mairetahi riding. Prior to the election, Mr ' Aitkenhead, on tho platform at Parakai Hall, told the ratepayers that his riding was £140 in credit. Instead of being in credit, it turns out that he was about £2000 in debt, and that is why our teams and men have been working in other ridings, because the Council will not permit any further work being done until the debt is liquidated. I represented the riding for 15 years, and during that time I was never without one man at least continually working, and was never told by the Council to cease work on account of being in debt; and the work done is there to be seen. But within the last four years it is a shame and disgrace that roads which have cost thousands of pounds should be allowed to go to destruction in the way they are. If the ratepayers would only take the trouble to go along the South Head road and see what is taking place, they would be astounded to think that such destruction is allowed to go on. We were also told that there was £700 on the Government es- i timates for South Head road.. If that is the case, why is it not being spent while the weather is fine ? instead of being wasted in wet wether. At a Kaipara Dairy Coy. annual meeting, when Mr Aitkenhead stood as a director, as a vote-catcher he told them to get the cows and he would make the roads. Since tkat time Arnold McLeod and myself have put on two herds at Mairetahi, and instead of the road being improved it is now almost impassable. Talk i was cheap on that occasion, but did not succeed as a vote-catcher. At the last election we were told, i in effect, "Anything you want, just ask, and 1 will do it." It has struck me since, that that remark only referred to vote - catching I before the election, and not after. J But surely a man who offers him- j self as a councillor should have ! sense enough to know that any j clay road cannot stand for four i years without the watertables I being cleaned out, to prevent the \ water going into the centre of the j road and washing it away. —I; am, etc., JAMES McLEOD. ;