FROZEN MEAT PRICES.

Patea Mail, 20 September 1882, Page 3

FROZEN MEAT PRICES.

The Loan and Mercantile Agency’s circular, dated London 10th August, says : The Lusitania (s) with 4,393 carcases of runtton and 40 quarters of of beef arrived oh 31st ultimo. The mutton was in excellent order and is now selling at from 6d to per lb. The beef, which also was good, is making 6£d for hind quarters and 5-|d for fore The Orient’s shipment was duly closed at rates equivalent to those reported in our last. The shipment per Sorrento has not made satisfactory progress, and we understand a large quantity of her beef was condemned. The Austral (s) is expected about the 35th instant. To-day’s quotations for Home-fed meats are as follow ; Good English and Scotch beef (bodies) 4s 6d to 5s 6d per 81bs, Good English and Scotch mutton (carcases) 4s to 6s per 8 lbs. NEW ZEALAND HEMP. August quotations in London ruled somewhat better. Sales have been effected to the extent of about 150 bales at £22 15s to £23 16 per ton for halfdressed, aud ; £2B per ton for clean parcels.

SHORTER ROAD TO PATEA. NEW POWER OK BORROW] NO. A combined' effort is being m.ule by a number of settlers across the VVhenuakura liver to get a bridge made over that river opposite Nicholson’s farm, with a short piece of new road, in order to connect the road systems on both sides, and enable back settlers to come to Patea without a lengthy detour eastward. A settlor across the Kohi, for instance, may be seven or eight miles from Wavorley and ten from Patea; yet he cannot get to Patea without travelling about sixteen miles. If he wants to do business with Patea as a port, why should he be compelled to travel about double the necessary distance ? Settlers have a clear right to get access to the nearest port by the shortest route. The obstacle at present is the want of a short piece of road leading to Whenuaknra river, a bridge over it, and a few chains of approach to connect with the road on the other side. A glance at the map will show how absurdly small is the “ missing link ” which ought to connect the road systems on each side of that river. The connection would be a boon to settlers on both sides, but especially to those eastward of the Whennakura ; and would bring a large area of occupied land into easy connection with Patea seaport. More than a score of settlers have just signed a paper expressing their desire for this short connecting road and bridge to be made. Their idea is to appeal to the Government for a grant. We believe this would be a waste of time at present, for this strong reason, that a bill has been passed this session to enable Road Boards to borrow money from Government on the security of a special rate for particular works. This bill was intended to meet such a claim for help, by enabling those interested to borrow from Government, and rate themselves for repayment. If Government were asked for a grant to make this bridge and road, the answer would be;. “We have given you the Roads Construction Act, and you can apply for money on the terms therein provided.” The Act enables a Road Board to lay a special rate for a special work like the present; and if the work will benefit say only part of a district, then the rate may be levied in that part only. The process is to get plans and an estimate of the special work, and upon these take a poll of the ratepayers in the portion of district to be benefited ; the vote being on the question whether the estimated sum shall be borrowed from Government for fifteen years, repayable by annual rate equal to £9 a year .for each £IOO borrowed. The principal and interest are included in the 9 per cent,, and 15 years would pay off both. (This was the proposal in the bill, and wo believe it passed in this form.) Suppose 30 settlers would- be benefited by this piece of road and a bridge, the special rate could bo levied on their land according to rateable value ; and this charge on the land for 15 years should be set against the increased selling value of each property, resulting from the advantage of nearer connection with a seaport. If those settlers earnestly desire this road connection to be made, the way of getting it is simple. It should be done through the Road Board which has rating power over their properties. No other body can do it for them. Government has practically washed, its hands of. all sncli works by passing this borrowing bill. If it can be shown that Government land not yet sold would benefit by this work, that would be a reasonable claim ; but we believe it would bo a waste of time to harp on that string in this instance. The settlers concerned will have to rely on self-help, by agreeing to be rated for the work. They may get some help from the Patea East Road Board. They may appeal to the County Council for a grant in aid. An appeal to the Patea Borough Council might be worth trying on the plea of increasing the trade of the port. If settlers on the eastward side have to rate themselves for the whole work,

the charge per annum among 25 or 30 properties would be a small sum per acre. Five pounds a head averaged among 30 ratepayers would enable them to borrow nearly 2,000 under the new Act. Probably £I,OOO would do the work ; and an average of say £3 a head would be a very small rate in the pound. It would be a trifle in comparison with what they would each save by the shorter distance, and what they would gain by the increased selling value. We would suggest that the settlers to be benefited should sign a joint requisition to their Road Board, asking for this work to be undertaken, and the money to be borrowed under the Roads Construction Act. The Board could apportion the rate among those properties which would directly benefit by the work, and a poll could bo taken. The next step would be to apply to the Minister of Public Works, and this must bo done not later than December in this year, to give the applicants any claim out of the fund for this year’s borrowing by local bodies. The settlers might agree to apply on the understanding that they will make up, by special rate, whatever is needed to cover the loan, after contributions are obtained (if any) from the other local bodies on whom the work has any claim. This would not prevent them applying in any future year to the County Council or other local body. The special rate can be reduced in any year, according to the reduced amount required.