THE Wairarapa Mercury. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1867. ROADS.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 47, 25 November 1867, Page 2

THE Wairarapa Mercury. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1867. ROADS.

For three or four years past the Masterton Road Board has been quietly at work, and has made roads which hare facilitated social intercourse in that neighborhood, besides affording facilities for business ; they have, in fact, given a tone and character to Masterton life which we gladly recognise. But the good-effect of the action of the Masterton Board was local, and the attention of those residing outside their district waa not called to it. There was until lately only one other Road Board in the district, viz.—at Featherstpn. There. the Board literally did nothing; but Wairarapa as a whole is, indebted ( tp the non-action of the Peatherstoh Board and the consequent action of the' Featherstpn people in

manfully contending against the majority of their Board, who professed to think that roads were not wanted, until that majority thought it wise to change their opinion ; and so drew public attention to the subject. The result is, that Road Districts .are now formed which include the whole of tbe Yalley west o ; the Ruamahunga, besides one at Whareama. We congratulate Wairarapa on this result, and are glad to find the Boards are in earnest, and are calling for tenders and are proceeding with the formation of roads. Among the many benefited by roads, not the least will Tbe some of those living isolated on their farms or stations who will have their sympathies enlarged by the connection which the road will establish between them and the outer world ; those who have lived all their lives by a road side will perhaps not understand how this can he, hut those whose wives and families have been imprisoned in their homesteads because it was impossible for them, without a great effort made with bullocks and dray er saddle horse—carrying two generations at once to get away, will admit, that the cheerfulness of their life will he increased, and its monotony lessened—that more symyathy will he felt with the pleasures and troubles of others, and more interest taken in improving and beautifying their property, if they could only get out more and see more, and mix more with their fellow creatures.

Tbo advantages which roads afford in a practical business point of view are so generally recognised that it is unnecessary for us to do more than to refer to them, and urge the ratepayers of the several districts for the sake of the social good of the community, and for their •own business and other practical advantages to be no niggards in this matter. Let us remember, the Treasury helps those who help themselves, and for the present cease wailing in despair, or blustering in anger because this district has not received all that it might or ought to have received. Let the ratepayers in making the rates, make them without selfishness, and accept their reward in the shape of a Treasury contribution to the extent of twice the amount of,their rate, let the Hoad Board see that the money is spent on useful works, and weshall find a stimulus given to trade from the expenditure on labor, and an increase in the value of property in the district.

But there is something to be done besides forming roads—they must he kept in repair and to do*this money must he provided. But how ? that is the question. It appears to ns, that, while the funds for the construction of a road—which is a permanent improvement to adjacent properties should he raised by an acreage rate and notbyan assessment on the annual value as was lately suggested, the funds for repairs of the road should "be raised from another source, viz:—from those who use the road. This could he done by assessment on the yearly value with some show of fairness, '(because the more the annual value of a property the more the occupier will probably use the road) if the traffic was confined to the rate-payers of the district; hut this is not the case, for a continuous line of road mav pass through two or more districts •and he common to all. Now it will not he argued that the heavy traffic of waggons or drays laden with country produce on its way to market can beneficially effect the value of the several properties they pass except in towns •country properties therefore ought not to be chargeable with the cost of repairing the damage caused by such traffic. The Featherston Board have evidently felt the difficulty and at their meeting reported in our last issue, required, we had almost said extorted, from Mr Revans, who does not reside in their district, a promise to contribute towards the repairs of a road on which he will probably have heavy traffic, before they would accept a tender for its construction,- yet others living out of the district may put heavy traffic on that road besides Mr Revans and how under the present system are they to he made to contribute to the repairs ? In our mind the most simple way to secure the payment of the repairs of a road by those who use it is by tolls and especially in the case of roads formed in more than in one district. New roads will soon want repairing, indeed repairs should begin with the first day’s traffic, it is therefore desirable that the best means of raising the ftinds should be at once considered. We suggest this subject for the consideration of the Road Boards not only of this district but of the Province.