COUNTY COUNCIL MISMANAGEMENT, &c.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue XI, 19 May 1880, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL MISMANAGEMENT, &c.

A Gbowl: Is theeb not a Cause? (Do ihe Editor of tbe Erening Star.) Sir,—Following up Mr A. Hume's capital letter and your leader of Saturday re County Council extravagance and milmanagement, I hare a word to say aa regards the wretched condition of the paths in Block 27. What possessed the inhabitants .of the Block to go' into the County I cannot devise, but certainly they made a great blunder by so doing. I do know, however, that when it wag managed by the Boad Board the Block was kept in much better condition, as regards roads and paths, than it has ever been since, and very much good and substantial work was then done for a little money. The path on the west side of Sandes street is in a miserable .condition, full of ruts and holes so as to be positively da^fc gerous for travellers. in the dark. Timitt and aged females will be obliged to be prisoners for the winter, if it is to continue in its present condition. I, myself, i had occasion to go out on Sunday evening last, and getting my foot into one of these ruts, I came down sprawling. I have noticed when anything .is attempted to be done, two or three poor old fellows that are past work; and who ought to be Hying at ease for the rema'ader of their days are generally put on to do the work—men who understand as much about path-making as a cow" does about a door-lock; several active boys with table spoons would do just as well. These poor fellows just fill up. the ruts with soft stuff, which the first heavy rain washes out again, and. all is as bad or worse than ever. , Would these very worthy Councillors set to and construct the paths in a business like manner—convex instead of concave, as they now mostly are, with a gutter on each side of them, they would be always high and dry in the centre, and no ruts Would be formed; locomotion would then be easy enough even foe timid or aged females. Above all other works the paths should be kept in good condition, neither Jwould it take any very large snm to do this, if they were properly made. These worthies look for their rates when due and get them, the least then the ratepayers expect is good paths, and especially when we know that the worthy officials take precious good care to be well paid for their most arduous and extraordinary labours in spending so much money.. ■'""■- '-C ■- 7 , '"'■■-■•- J. % Ninety thousand pounds in three years P Where is the work for so large a sum of money P Echo answers, where P We recommend these gentjeinen to take a trip to (be Cape of Good Hope,..(not at our i ratepayers' expense though), there they might learn a lesson in rQfldjnaking and road repairing which is-donTupon system" by Government direct, jand gone substantially and we" for one half the money it cos*s here for muddling With them.—l am &c, William Wood.