ELTHAM ROAD.

Opunake Times, Volume III, Issue 141, 8 November 1895, Page 2

ELTHAM ROAD.

(Our own Correspondent.) I see by your paper that the Wafiho Road loan has been carried. This will complete the main part of the metalling of the inhabited portions of bush roads in this part; the exception being a portion (needless to say the bush portion) of the Patiki Eoad, and that unfortunate highway (which it seems nobody's business to look after) locally known as the Opunake-Strat-ford track. I hear that after the last Awatuna sale a sort of impromptu meeting of ratepayers was held with the object of getting the bush portion of Waimate into a separate riding, so as to escape, if possible, a rate for paying off overdraft. It do not know what the result of the meeting was (nil I believe) but 1 think there is little chance now of escaping this rate ; although its imposition is most unfair to the bush district, for not a penny of this overdraft was spent here. More than two years ago the then County Chairman admitted at a Kaponga meeting that £SOO of our rates, were taken to the open to repair flood damages and I thiuk the main portion of the overdraft was incurred for the same purpose. He then promised that this money would b 9 refunded, if possible, but instead of this being done are now called upon to pay a rate, to help to pay off a debt incurred by comparatively wealthy settlers on the plains. Seems rather hard doesn't it ? But we'll have to pay the same and look pleasant if we can. I forgot to say that the greater portion of that £SOO belonged to the Opunake-Stratford track and Auroa Road. " Sunny New South Wales " is a favorite expression amongst patriotic stump orators m the Sydney Domain, and many former residents in that favored colony must, like myself, have ardently wished that some of its bright sunshine could lately be transferred to this gloomy, sunless, rain-sodden climate of Taranaki. We are now nearly approaching the beginning of summer, but I do not think there have been a dozen really fine sunny days during the whole of the spring months, and although the grass is growing fast, where it is not under water, the continual rain and almost total absence of sunshine must leave us very little substance in it. Cattle and horses, though fast improving, have not got the sleek looks usual at this time of the year. The last Awatuna sale was the most successful (both in numbers of stock and attendance ofbuyers) since the yards were opened, nearly two years ago. It is to be hoped the improvement will be permanent, for these local yards are a great convenience, and I often wondered they have not hitherto been more extensively patronised by the settlers.