The Pahiatua Star. (Published Tuesdays and Fridays.) FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1886.

Pahiatua Star and Eketahuna Advertiser, Volume 1, Issue 51, 3 December 1886, Page 2

The Pahiatua Star. (Published Tuesdays and Fridays.) FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1886.

Mi: Crkwk informs us tlmt while in Wellington, he, as a delegute from the ! I’nliiutua Town Board, made inquiries from both Mr Richardson and Mr Reliance regarding the position of the Roaid in respect of the three-chain road. Tlie Minister of Public Works was of opinion tlmt what is now con- j sidcred the road reserve could he dealt | with hv the Board inde pendent of any ! special legislation ; hut the Minister of j Lands thought differently, repeating j what lie had wud at the meeting re ei ntly held here, that the matter was | in the hands of the settlers, and in j order to deal with it a private bill would he necessary. Mr Crewe then drew Mr Ballance's attention to an article which had appeared in the Star, containing copy of a letter received by Mr Mi nn's from the Land Office, authorising him or any of his neighbors to occupy tlie unused chain frontage to the main road until three months' notice was given to the contrary, and asked if the Government would give the required notice, as the Town Board was desirous of improving the whole width of the road. Mr Uallauce could not see his way clear to interfere. Why •? Because tlie progress of Paliintuu means keeping the WoodvilleMangatainokn Special Settlement Association Block in the shade, and we have heard quite enough from time to time to know that so long as the present Ministry are in power we need expect no mercy from them. It is useless for Mr Ballance to attempt to hoodwink the settlers of Paliiatua any longer, and wo warn them that it is high time they rid themselves of the charmer's power and asserted their rights. Mr Ballanoe visited us a short time since, and all the satisfaction that was obtained from him was—

"You shall have a policeman ! ” But even that promise has not been fulfilled. Unfortunately for Paliiatua and district Mr Ballance has been looked upon by the majority of settlers as the only man capable of effecting permanent good in our midst, and so strong a hold has he upon the people by his slippery tongue that even now many refuse to believe that he is deliberately working injury to this district to benefit another. Let Mr Ballance deny if he can that it is not Ins intention, so far in him lies, to sacrifice Paliiatua for the sake of the newly-established Woods ille-Manga-tainoka Settlement. This has been dawning on us for some time, and we again urge settlers to make a united stand against such an attempt. We ask—ls there a man in the district who can conscientiously believe in a Government that is doing all in its power to ruin us. Our fond hopes of a railway have vanished, but to compensate us Government have saddled us with the maintenance of an expensive colonial road. Time will prove whether we have been any to soon in sounding a warning note.