THE GERALDINE ROAD BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1370, 25 July 1885, Page 2

THE GERALDINE ROAD BOARD.

TO THE EDITOR. ' Sir, —As the Geraldine Road Board has levied a rate which will very soon be duo we niust look out to see bow the money is spent. I have heard some talk about the road called Donkin’s road at the Waihi Bush. Now, from all I know about this road I don't think it should be made. It means that a lot of the ratepayers’ money is to be spent to enable owners of two sections to save a few shillings. I should like to know the value of the firewood on those two sections which will be carted over the road—l dont think it would represent the cost of making the road. I know something about the value of firewood in the bush, and I value this at at about £2 an aere ; the cost of the road will be, say, £2OO. This is not a straightforward way to work. There are one or two members who are straining themselves to the utmost in order to save us from being rated over and over, as wa very soon will be if the money is not spent to better advantage. There are lots of farmers who have pieces of bush on their property, and they might call public meetings and bully tbe Road Board out of a few hundred pounds for the formation of roads into those sections, and by-ancl-bye, when the firewood is taken taken off, the roads would be idle ! It will be the same with the Waihi Bush road. Now, sir, I would like to know the real value of this land when the firewood is all taken off? Bat 1 think, by what 1 can learn, , that it is mure like spite than being f good neighbors. There is a road already-' made, but it is about eighty or ninety chains of a round, and they grudge a certain gentleman to have the use of the road on his property, At a public meeting held at Woodbury a few mouths ago to get this road a certain man said if this road were going through a poor man’a property there would bs no difficulty in getting it. Now this is a very weak point. Has any one seen or heard of the Road Board showing any partiality to either rich or poor I—l am, etc., A Ri TBPAYBR. Pleasant Valley, July 22, 1885.