COUNTY OF EGMONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 October 1922, Page 3

COUNTY OF EGMONT.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—ln your issue of Sept. 26, I note where Mr. Walter C. Green, of Rahotu, expresses surprise at the chairunan of the Egmont County’s remarks to the effect that the bad state of the roads in the Rahotu Riding was due to the neglect of the late northern members. Since the truth is mighty, and must • prevail, Mr. Green need not be surprised. The majority of ratepayers in the Rahotu Riding would probably be even more surprised if they knew of all the bungling and neglect of these late northern representatives (of which Mr. Green was one), while on the Egmont County Council. In the light of actual experience it is absurd for your correspondent to attempt to blame southern members for the state of the roads in the Rahotu Riding. Southern members have at all times been willing to do Justice to Rahotu, but the members from that end did not help themselves by utilising Government road grants available from year to year, as, fopjnstance, in the case of the Kahui Road last year, the Government grant for which (£200) was allowed to lapse through the inertia of Mr. Green and his fellow Rahotu members. This money was actually lost to the road. Now, if the experience of that road is similar to other roads in the Rahotu Riding (southern members have not, to my knowledge, missed a Government grant for their roads), then Mr. Green's remarks savor very much of hypocrisy and neglected duty. When it is remembered that the present Council had to spend £4OO on the Kahui Road instead of only £2OO through the then council, of which Mr. Green was such a shining light, falling to lift the other £2OO grant in time, it was little wonder that it was found necessary to curtail the supply of metal requirements in the Rahotu Riding. As regards the reduction of the rate in the Oeo Riding, I may say that this reduction did not commend itself to me, because the Council is in need of all the revenue it can get just now to make up for the poor administration and wasteful methods of the Green-Wright period. This much must be said for Oeo ratepayers, and that is if they consider their roads need less expenditure they are entitled to say so. Rahotu has the same right, but I for one will see that the Oeo rates and the Oeo expenditure are equitable. A rate of 3d in the £ in Rahotu Riding would not b<> too much to put the roads in good order after the years of neglect. The present Council 13 doing more for the Rahotu Riding than has been done for years (not from any fears of losing the riding; the recent commission made things quite clear in that direction), but from a broad, progressive spirit. This year it has secured, and will spend by way of grant and subsidy, £470 on the Okahu Road (Ngarlki to Newall), £2OO on the Kahui Road, and £2OO on the Cape Road. In addition to this, 150 yards of stone has been authorised for the Carrington Road, 25(1 yards for the Newali Road, and 400 yards for the Warren Road. It is also very probable that at next meeting 500 yards will be authorised for the Stent Road Besides all this, other important improvements have and are being effected in the Rai hotu Riding, such as the placing of a man i and team permanently at the junction of the ; Okahu and Kahui Roads. It has also been • suggested that the tar-sealed portion of tae street through the township of Rahotu be extended. Thus ratepayers will, if, they care to investigate, see that their present representatives are serving them better than did Messrs. W. C. Green and Co. There is not so much froth and bubble, of course, but a sympathetic Council Is doing the work. An independent commission recently found (with regard to the Rahotu Riding in particular) "that there seemed every indication .that the E’gmont County Council was now pursuing a more progressive policy than in the past,” and that truly stated the case. The affairs of the County are being straightened out, because a council has, for the first time in at least five years, been elected capable of carrying out necessary reforms. They are delivering the goods. The statement made by Mr. W. C. Green at Pungarehu that southern members blocked his and other northern members’ efforts is absolutely misleading, and Mr. Green knows it. He is just trying to excuse his and his colleague’s incompetence and neglect.—l am, etc., R. FERGUSON. Te Kiri, Sept. 27, 1922.