TARATAHI ROAD BOARD.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 50, 16 December 1867, Page 3

TARATAHI ROAD BOARD.

(To the Editor of the Waibabapa Mebcuet.) Deo. 10, 1867. Sie, —I wonder if the Provincial Government have actually ventured to humbug the Taratahi Koad District. As I suspect that a considerable amount of political dodgery have been so successfully practised by the Provincial jugglers that they have attained a sufficient amount of audacity to attempt anything likely to blind the eyes of a people that habitually «übmit themselves to suffer injustice so patiently from the Provincial Government as the residents of the Wairarapa ha%'e always hitherto done. If you ask what motive the Provincial Government have in treating the Taratahi Road District with any greater injustice than they would any other. I don't think that they have had any motive to inflict greater injustice—the only motive beir.g a want of money ; but it appears to me that they have had the opportunity, aud that they have made the most of it. The Provincial Government being in pecuniary difficulties have attempted to keep the Taratahi Eoad District from getting to work in road making this year. The Provincial Government appears to have considered the Taratahi Board of Wardens as too green and not sufficiently ripe to comprehend that any reason might exist for humbugging them, An empty money chest and no borrowing powers is a reason for the Provincial Government honestly appealing to the people to proceed to take make their local roads at their own expense, but is no reason whatever for treating the Taratahi people a3 they have done. The Superintendent and his Government must have known as soon as the people of the Taratahi memorialized him to proclaim the district, that a map would be required before a rate could be levied in the district, and they ought to provide or prepare the map at once. The Government also knew when the first annual meeting of the Taratahi voters was convened, that no time ought to be lost in preparing the nocessary map of the Crown Land sold in the district, and therefore ought to have it ready to be forwarded as soon as it would be sent for ; but instead rf that the Provincial Government have delayed doing anything whatever as long as possible. No doubt, with the very laudable intention of keeping the Taratahi people from dipping their hands into the public purse. When the Provincial jugglers eould no longer delay doing something, they sent up cither an old map or a copy of an old map, of no use whatever to the Board, and now it has to be returned again, and therefore more time—valuable time, will be wasted to the district in sending up a proper map until the return of winter with impassable roads. Then every unfortunate man that will get himself or his cattle swamped in those places where it is proposed to make good this season, will think of his Honor the Superintendent, and of his Government. It was an old proverb a score of centuries ago, that " the gods inflicted with madness those persons whom they doomed to destruction." The folly and madness with which the Provincial Gavernment have lately acted is a sure sign of the approaching dissolution of the tottering fabric of Provincialism, I am, Sir, Yours, fcc, Jraics.