The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1883 THE GERALDINE ROAD BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1064, 6 February 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1883 THE GERALDINE ROAD BOARD.

It would appear from the tone of the meeting held the other evening at Geraldine with regard to the condition of Peckham’s road that the people of that district have a grievance. We have not seen the road in question, but from the description that was given of it at the meeting we gather that it has been shingled all over recently, in a manner that makes traffic difficult on it and that the crown of it is so high and so badly Termed that in some places two vehicles cannot pass each" other on 1 without danger of one or both being capsiz ’d. If such is a true descriptbn of the road it is quite evident that steps

should be taken to render it fit for traffic. It is the main read that connects Geraldine with the outside world, and consequently ought to be put in a condition that at least two vehicles coul sately pass each other on it, the excuse that the road had been badly formed in the beginning, and that the former overseer was responsible for its defects was a very lame one. It was shown that at the time the road was was first formed the Overseer had to cut his cloth according to his measure. He had not money sufficient to form it as he wished, and so lie had to form it as well as he could. Moreover, it was further shown that the In iyht of the road’s crown was due to the wind blowing the baad and dust from the S'des on to it, and not to want of having been well formed. But even if the road had been badly formed, that is the very reason why it should be reformed now ani put in thorough order for traffic. To heap shingle on the top of a road which had already too high a crown was not the way to remedy the defects in its formation. If it had been too narrow and too high before, so that two vehicles could not pass each other safely on it, to shingle it was not all that was necessary to be done with it. But the argument that -£375 had been spent on it was weaker still. What can it matter if ton times as much had been spent on it if it is not fit for traffic ? The Geraldine Road Board has plenty of money, it can draw on at least £20,000, and certainly under such circumstances it is not right that it should be peddling with the main road that connects Geraldine with the nearest railway station at any rate. Ihe gentlemen who have hitherto conducted the business of the Geraldine Road Board certainly deserve credit for the economy and prudence they have exercised in the expenditure of their money. They have exercised greater care than public bodies usually do, hut it strikes us they are overdoing it a little, and that in their great desire to hoard up wealth for the future they have arrived at a degree of watchfulness which borders onpenoriousness. They are very proud of having saved their money, they flatter themselves that they have done better than any other Board in their neighborhood, and the desire to save is gaining such a hold of them that unless their eyes are opened by public opinion they are as likely to run to the extreme of being too saving as not. Ihe Geraldine Road Board has done well, its members deserve the thanks of the district, but when they are so rich, and they have nothing to fear, they certainly ought not to haggle over putting their main road in a sate that would be satisfactory to the community. If £6O shingled it, surely one-third that amount will he sufficient to do all that is necessary to it now. Is it worth the Board’s while to haggle over that sura ? We sliou'd think not. The misfortune is that this is not the only road complained of. Mr Kelraan. at the same meeting, complained of Bhaw and Kelman’s road, which leads to arailway station, have been also overlooked, and it is probable that there are others who have similar stories to tell if we had only heard them. There is no necessity for these complaints while the Board is rolling in riches as it is. It is to be hoped that the meeting held the other evening will open the eyes of the members of the Board, and that they will see that while the public appreciate carefulness and economy it must not be at the cost of bad roads.