HICKFORD'S LINE OP BOAD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 66, 13 April 1880, Page 2

HICKFORD'S LINE OP BOAD.

TO THE EDITOB OF THE MAIUWATO HEBAID. Sm, — Mr M'Lennan lias made statements in his letter dated 29th March which only require to be pointed out in order to convince all who read them that he is trying to deceive. He states that I asked for £600 to form and metal a small piece of road opposite my property. Now I wish to state that my section of land is only 20 chains wide, and the road for which the vote of £300 was granted by the Council is more than 4 miles in length, leading through the Douglas block and the centre of Campbelltown. The money is to be laid out by the Engineer on any part of said road, and in such manner as he shall think best. The resolution asking the Council to vote this sum was written by Mr Gower, and I knew nothing of the matter until I was asked to second the motion, which I did with pleasure, knowing that this line of road is one of the most important on the block, and that two other roads in that settlement had had county money laid out on them before. It is understood that each Councillor is the best judge as to what road in his riding is most needed and likely to benefit the greatest number of setlers. The part of Banks' line leading towards Taipo district for which £110 was voted commences at the square and thence along the front of several sections in the township, and is the only road to eight rural sections in the settlement block, making a distance of 60 chains before it reaohes the Featherston Block. Here again Mr M'Lennan has grossly perverted the truth. I should think from the nature of the work done that the whole of the sum voted was laid out within the Douglas Block. I may state that when writing my last letter on this subject, I was very anxious to give the settlement credit for every shilling of rates and subsidy it was entitled to, and not having the figures before me, I estimated the amount at £60 of rates and a like sum from Government. I was also in doubt whether the Settlement Block had paid rates for one or two years, and I gave it the benefit of the doubt and allowed for two, but I have since found, on looking at the rate book, that the total amount of last year's rates was £44 18s 6d, and that rates have been paid for one year only. Special settlement revenue, with subsidy, £89 17s. Special grant to settlement from County fund, £560. What truth then is there in Mr M'Lennan's statement that Mr Sanson had taxed settlers heavily and spent the money so raised elsewhere ? I would advise Mr M'Lenuan to go to the County Offices and inspect the account book for the Riding in which he lives, and also to pay a visit to the Manawatu Highways Board's Office and inspect their books. He will then satisfy himself as to what has been done with the money, and will be better able to write on the subject in hand than ho appears to be at present. In reference to Mr M'Lennan's remarks re Mr Dawson, I should think Mr Dawson was as much empowered to act on behalf of Douglas & Co. as Mr M'Lennan is of the Hon. Campbell. In fact, more so, for Mr Dawson was part owner of the estate, and in order to prove that a promise was given by him to make a dry road to each section. I herewith forward a copy of the advertisement which was published in the Advocate, when said land was put in the market. I shall be glad if you will kindly insert it for the good of the public. I would call special attention to the words " each section having a frontage to an accessible dry road. Full information given and all applications received by Douglas & Co." Now, Sir, the information I received was that said road would be made ; in ' fact, the work was going on at the time. It may not suit Mr M'Lennan to believe even this very strong evidence. I will let the resident settlers say

whether their sections have a frontage to an accessible dry road or not. I consider Mr M'Lennan's remarks about my goodness, quite gratuitous. It will be quite soon enough for him to give an opinion on that subject when applied to for it. I can, however, challenge Mr M'Lennan, or any one else, to prove that ever I engaged . to do a thing and afterwards shuffled out of it, and then tried to saddle the blame on other people. I am sorry for Mr M'Lennan in that he should have thought it necessary in this controversy to resort to the very questionable practice of taking a private document to the Editor of a. newspaper and treating it as though it were common property— conduct which no gentleman would care to imitate. I am, &c, H. Sanson. Sanson, April 9, 1880. [The sentence Mr Sanson wishes reprinted is the following : " Affording one of the finest opportunities ever offered in New Zealand for small capitalists to secure freeholds on which to make really good homesteads, each section having a frontage to an accessible, dry road." We would remind our correspondent that as our space is limited, letters to the Editor must also be compressed as much as possible. We thought our hint on this point would be sufficient. The tone which this correspondence has assumed is to be regretted, having become rather too personal. Any future letters on this subject will be refused admission in our correspondence columns, and if inserted will be charged for as advertisements. — Ed. M. Hbbald.]