Backblock Roads

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 338, 14 December 1917, Page 1

Backblock Roads

[To thi Editob ] Sir, —At the la-t tmeting of the Fiaukliu County Council a piea from ujh w«k brought byline Him (Jom cil askiug for more o ■<-i ieration 10 b< extended to b-chhiotk districts, which according t> the eport in ih»"Pukekohe Times" broug/u forth th< remark from Cr Lockwood that £SO in excess of rate receipts hati i ee-. expended in the Mouoiouk ii nisiric I I would like Cr Lotkwood i state wnere the mon«y was «peut, which I am afraid he is not able t<> do as I do n<t think th*t lheie n<»t been £SO in excess of rite reci ipitspent in this distrtct for any oueyeai since Or L ckwood has been the member for the idunua riding. About six months ago Or Lockw«»od addresbed a meeting of ratepayers a. Hunua, when he was asked where " the thirds " accruing from this district had been spent. The answer he gave wu that they were included in a sum of £l4B that had been

spent, but he could not say where. I think it is the same with the rate money he says we have had spent in this district. This district has not had justice since it was included in the Hunua riding of the Franklin County because the settlers have to trespass over private property to get the use of the riding roads. They have had to give free labour so as to get their wool to Auckland. There; is very little inducement given to settlers to pay' their rates promptly, and I think in the future I will hold mine a? long as the law allows. A loan Was raised of £ISOO some time ago for the purpose of giving the settlers an outlet and a survey was taken with regard to legalising the road, but so far no tenders have been called for the work. Unless the Council put a bit more life into it the summer will be over and, as is genet ally the case, the work will be started in the winter time, when conditions are unfavourable for that class of work. It is to be hoped the new Council will give the side roads and backblock roads more consideration than has been given them in the past, especially in the Hunua riding. Yours etc, A. McNEIL. Moumoukai, Dae. Bth, 1917.