PUBLIC OPINION

Thames Star, Volume LII, Issue 13930, 8 July 1919, Page 2

PUBLIC OPINION

(Under this h«a<J we invite disiua&i'j:. , UftOll LOplCd 01 IllloJeat. it IliUiL, ilu.il>W,^ bj <iistici.liy unatTatocU n.iii Liv- oj. I\ ions cjqnei:»wi am luorte ot our tun o pendents uiny, »nii vviucii n« art: .>-. ii ueutiuauxily lUunLiiicu.) _ To the Editor. •Siir, —TLc:o :iippons to be same ui.-ix-oaiccipi'iijfii iii. ilie mrinclfei of tine ratepayers as to- the ipixupoeal oif the tfWne-s Coasuty Cotuaioil regarding 1 tfco sdieiota fo»r tar. grtmtoig ithe roads on. the eastern, aide of the Waihou river. At itihe special meeting held recent ■ ly the followinig resolution* was passed : ' 'That the ratepayers of' the County wiithiin an oirfcia bounded on. the we<rtl by the Waihoui river, on itfoe ruor'th by the Kauae«imgai i"irer, and on iihe east by tihe ddreidinigr point of the range bw asikiecl to sanotiom) a kxin for the purpose of tlair girouitSmgi the whoila oS thi© roads wibhiin thaiti areai. Tlwit the madn road from Thames to KilkSu-' taia be the first road 1 xindertbakea and ■tihaifc 'the side roeds be done iln. their order of fitness amd importiaince'. Itiat the engtiaieer jKrepare plaiDs and estimates of the whole of the roads far the pwafpoißia of pkening! the poll baforw the ratepayers. Now, the objecib of this is to enaible the rftitepwyerfe r <> know exadtly what they are asked to vobe oni. There are, however, &> mmr beif of ratepayers, who, after boindeinaning; the Ooiuinftnl tor beingl toot slow for yeairi3i ipafit, now coniiplain that the OoitunciiJ wants to got too fast, and "I tundertettaind that a pet'itaon. is in. onroulation. to Tequesib the Council tlo r.eglee* liie side irtaads awd only^do th> miaiiini road. Thlis is., to, iniy miind, absurd, as the whole object of good rooding iis to enjable *the setitlera to gieti their prodticiei tb the factories and of what Taillue ia the madm road if .cettilers oanatoti geib o>n to iih fromi their farms. . The nuan, oni the sride road shotvld be oomstiderted «us mnich && the one on the madini road, and in. many /oases the former contributes roaro in ratesi than. the laitkier doe* Th© ideai im tiakimg a. pc!l to aiuitihttrise a.loan', for the'whole of the tfoeds does"■liot mcaa that thie, side roads will be dome staaiight awaiy. As the resolution reads, the side roads will be done in their order of fitness and' importance amd Ti&tiuifally they will need to be mi a fitl staite befone they are- done. But suppose we take a poll first only to tar giroult 1 the. matin rond, probaibly ■ the whole of the ©lectors omt tihe slide loads will vote for iit, but will the ratiepaiyeiiß on amd oanltdiguoufei to the maiiia read subsequently -viote fof Hie propoßfll to raite .themselves ,to tar grourtj the side roods? My knowledge of human tuatui-e leads me to fear thait 1. they wont. ' - I trusfc thaifc the iiatepayersi who airo inclined to take, the naiirow view will " Wait uitttiU the details' of thet scheme airte ipiliaced ( before thoam beifoiro s\^ teimpitiinj? to obstirticib m policiy frame. 1 by^thet Coun«il to give every ix»rtaoi: of^ihe airfea equal treatmem*. I om, etc., ■ JAMES MC.OORMICK, County Cha'irmiati