CORRESPONDENCE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 183, 1 July 1874, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

[Our columns are open for free discussion ; but we do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —In your leader of Wednesday last, there are one or two slight errors. You appear to imagine I was prepared to deliver the metal anywhere between Gisborne and Ormond ; such was not the case. I agreed to deliver it at high water mark upon Gisborne side of the river ; and wit h regard to entering into any negotiations with the present Road Board, such is not my intention. One reason is that their time of office is nearly expired ; and another, that I would not submit to any humiliation from the Board, as it at present exists. A Board that had not even the courtesy to reply to the tender of a gentleman who tendered to deliver the same metal, some time ago, was not the Board for any independent contractor to enter into treaty with. With regard to Mr. Bold, I should be sorry to insult a gentleman in his position, by propounding to him the scheme, when, I have no doubt, he knew of the metal; and the means of transit could be taken in at a glance. All I have written about the matter is irrefutable. Ocular demonstration proves of what material the muck is. which is being thrown haphazard upon the roads. There is also ocular proof of the existence of the metal; and as far as the “payingpart” is concerned, should my conditions be entered into, that is my look out. I repeat, should any corporate body, or the General Government, see fit to enter into my scheme, I am at their service; but as for toadying to any one particular body, to obtain the monopoly, in justice'to the Ratepayersand my own independence, I would not do it. I may add that as there are other Engineers in the district, the Road Board would do well to obtain their advice, opinion, and estimates on this subject, which has now been so far ventilated that future discussion, on my part, will cease.—Yours, &c., Robert G. Hawes. [Mr. Hawes has mis-read our remarks. We did not say he was “prepared ” —but we said “we should like to know Mr. estimate of cost ” —to deliver metal in other places than Gisborne. —Ed. B.]

Sir, —As the existence of the present High way Board will soon cease, may it not be well that the Ratepayers should be, previously, fully satisfied as to the position of matters regarding the Gladstone-road ? The incoming body may not like to inherit an injudicious, or questionable/'course, or accept the results of such having been adopted, and persisted in. I make the suggestion this carlyW that those retiring may either explain away —what seems to be somewhat ultra vires oh their part —a needless disbursement of the local funds ; or, if the work was at first undertaken in ignorance of existing arraijgemcnts, and, afterwards, persisted in obstinately, deon plausible, but erroneous reasoning, then let them Tetain the responsibility, and get out of the error as they best may. ; i That the formation and repair of the road

in question, were matters of first and pressing importance, is indisputable; but that those works devolved on the Highway Board, may prove be as little the case as that it is the duty of any individual ratepayer to perform that portion of them opposite his own premises, however desirable it might be for the public convenience, to do so.

I cannot help feeling that there is a careless* lessness, or clumsiness, or stupidity, or something of the kind attendant on the Board as at present constructed ; and that an infusion of some quickening spirit at the coming election is a desideratum ; but at the same time it would not be altogether wise to reject dll the present members (as is rather strongly spoken of) some of whom are worth another trial.—Yours, &c., Civis.

Sir, —Th ere is some report current that Henare Mat.ua purposes paying another visit to this district, I suppose during the next sitting of t he Lands Court, but I don’t see that it is of material importance whether he comes or not. It would be very satisfactory if the natives and others interested knew how the last Native Lands .let will affect the subdivision of blocks already passed by the Commissioners, and that have been partly dealt with in the meantime. Everyone is working almost entirely in the dark as to any ultimate result. During the late freshets in the Waipaoa River considerable portions of the banks have been falling in. I should be glad if any of your subscribers could give information as to the cheapest, and, at the same time, most effectual mode of preventing this, or at least to a partial extent. —Yom's, &c., Subscriber.