THE MOA MERGER.
■4". ;■ To the Editor. 'Sir, —Judging by tiie result of the conference between the Taranaki County and the Moa Road Board and the i more recent meetings of ratepayers un- ' der the latter Board, it seems to me that the weight of opposition to the merging came from the chairman and members ol the Road Board. The comparison between the expense of maintenance of the County roads and the side roads in the Moa Road Board district is not so marked when the number of expensive bridges and the enormous traffic on tiie main road to New Plymouth are' considered. Most of the motor traffic (especially in summer) comes from other districts. It. would be good business for the lioua Board to merge, so that the. ratepayers could then use their influence with the County Council to have a toll gate erected on the main road and the proceeds devoted to laying down a permanent road of concrete or restar, instead of having good road metal wasted through being blown away in dust, and besides causing great discomfort, not merely ta motorists, but to many others who pass over the road. Ko person should grudge to pay a small toll for a good road. Besides it will be better and cheaper for the ratepayers. The upkeep would be so trifling compared with the present syster.i of continuous crushing, carting, putting on and rolling down metal, which does not stand with heavy rain and motor traffic six months. The ratepayers of the Moa Riding can depend on their ■interests being safeguarded if they return good men to represent them on tne County Council. The present chairman of the Board (Mr Corkill) Should be one good man for the position. The idea of forming the Moa Riding into- a County would not be entertained by the present or any future government. It Woujd be something similar to forming Purangi or Tariki into boroughs. As far as its effecting Inglewood is concerned, it should make no difference to its trade or progress. The County working overseer should reside in Inglewood, bo as to have control of the road-making plant, etc. Road Boards are very close to being a thing of the past, but no doubt did good work when districts were wiue apart and supervision not easily obtained, the chairman mostly being the supervisor of works. No ratepayer should wish to go back to parochialism. If Stratford County was added to Taranaki it would not be too big, as one engineer could easily do all the work with the assistance of an overseer. An overseer now with a motor could direct and inspect as much work in one day as would have taken a week to do in the past going on horseback. Pellow ratepayers should be progressive and merge at onee, so as to have the roads laid doyn well and expediously, and, remember, that their rates would not be pooled, as some think, each riding's rates being accounted for by separate Riding accounts. —I am, etc., MOA RATEPAYER OBSERVER. Ratapiko, August 20.
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Taranaki Daily News, 30 August 1918, Page 5
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514THE MOA MERGER. Taranaki Daily News, 30 August 1918, Page 5
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