Manawatu Herald. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1880. THE NEW HIGHWAYS BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 29, 10 December 1880, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1880. THE NEW HIGHWAYS BOARD.

+ . As will be seen from the report in another column, a meeting legarding the merging of the Fox ton highways district into the county was held at the Athenaeum on Wednesday last. We have the same complaint to make regarding this meeting, as against the previous action of those ratepayers who are carrying this matter through. No public notice was given of the meeting, not even placaids being posted to invite the ratepayers ; the only intimation of it having been apparently given by personal invitation. We repeat, this is not the way to do public business. At the meeting, the Chairman said the petitioners were desirous of hearing what objections could be urged against the proposal ; but surely it would be little use stating and urging objections to a few who were taking the lead in the agitation. If the matter were to be fairly argued out, it should be done in the presence of the ratepayers, who could, after hearing the pros and com, decide for or against the proposal. Instead of doing this, the Chairman informed Mr Tlrynne that already he had 50 signatures to the petition out of 73 ratepayers ; and it was therefore somewhat of a farce to ask Mr Thynne what his objections were. As it was the first opportunity we had had of publishing the views of the petitioners, we have given a very full report of the meeting. The meeting was singular, inasmuch as not a single motion (except the appointment of a Chairman) was made. It will be seen, however, that those who are carrying the matter through are fully determined not to cease their efforts until their object is attained. Mr Thyune stated a very strong objection to the merging of the highways district in the county, when he pointed out that a shilling rate would leave only a very small amount for road formation in the highways district after paying general county expenses and for road formation. In these views he was supported by Mr Rockstrow, who was not present when Mr Thynne explained his views, but who adopted precisely the same line of argnment. There can be little doubt that the generosity of the County Council in giving certain subsidies to the Highways and Local Boards has given the ratepayers " a warm side " to the larger body ; but it may be as well to point out that the subsidies are about to cease, which will dry up one of the most profitable sources of county revenue. In addition to this curtailment of revenue, it is probable that the expenditure wjl be largely increased owing to the required maintenance of the Sandon and Otaki roads, as it is understood efforts are likely to be made shortly to have portion of the former road metalled, and some money may also be wanted at an early date for the latter. The ratepayers should therefore seriously consider whether the merging of the highways district into the county will not, as Mr Thynne stated, prove the " death warrant " of those settlers who are now without roads to their property. The power to levy rates up to 2s in the £ is not likely to be given to the local bodies', and even if it were we do not for one moment believe the Council would exercise it.

There can be no doubt that the ratepayers have become heartily sick of the old order of things ; and well they might, for more disgraceful treatment than the Foxton district received under the old Board was probably never heard of. Still, there could not be a repetition of such administration under the new Highways Board.which would be composed of local men representing five different parts of the district. Opinions might differ as to where the money should be spent, but it would certainly be spent somewhere in the district, whereas the complaint against the old Board was that it took all it could get from Foxton, and spent comparatively nothing upon the roads. This state of things brought on the separation.and surely it would now be wiser of the ratepayers to be careful to put into the new Board men in whom they have confidence, than to perform political suicide by merging into the County, So far as the new Board is

concerned, it will rest with the menib§is to display economy in wdrkilig" tließsard) and justice in spending the money ; and wo have no doubt that if they begin well, they will avoid being wrecked at the outset of their voyage across the political ocean.