THE TINUI TOLL-GATE & CASTLE POINT HIGHWAY BOARD.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 264, 13 September 1879, Page 2

THE TINUI TOLL-GATE & CASTLE POINT HIGHWAY BOARD.

o To Ik Editor of the Wahiahapa daily. . Sir—lt seems strange that the ratepayers and the travelling public have not made nome protest re levying a toll on the Tintu Castle Point road. This bog, by some sketch of imagination called a road, is at present, and has been for some time' past in a most disgraceful state, in fact a little less than dangerous to travel on. In many places horsemen are obliged to leave the line of road to save being bogged; teams have been stuck on several occasions. It is surely only reasonable to have a fair and safe road to travel on, when a toll is levied.

This toll-gate is again let for another year, and this time to the overseer of the Board. Can anyone inform me if it is usual and legal for a servant of the Road Board to enter into a contract of this nature. It seems that the toll-gate will have to be removed from its present site to near the residence of the overseer, and I imagine if within tho next four months he should change his place of abode the tollgate would again have to travel. Next year the toll may be let to some other individual who may live some distance further in the road. 'ljy the way who is to bear the cost of this removal: If it was not fortno quagmire along which the gate would have to bo shifted and the loss of material by its sinking, I would humbly suggest that it be placed on wheels to assist in its various migrations. I can quite understand the overseer of the Board being able to give a higher price than others for the toll-gate. ' It is quite worth some £lO to him to have some three or four chains of road mc'.alled on each side of the gate, when it is considered that the gentleman in question has land on each side of t.«e road, which is dillicult to access without some contrivance to save him from getting bogged when going to and fro to milk, feed his fowls, and perforin other domestic duties. Tho Board not having a residence connected with the toll-gate seems also to bo open to objection. Under the present circumstances, it happens that only a few persons, residing within a limited area can compete for the right of collecting the tolls. It would surely tend to the public benefit, that as large' a number as possible should have a chance to tender in this matter. Why do not the Board, if it persists in having a toll-gate, erect a residence 1 I suppose the arswev will be "no funds." But what has become of the money 1 I very much question if the Board can show clearly that they do not fritter away and waste a great deal of the ratepayer's money. The members of the Board appear to be a most unbusinesslike set of individuals. Some of them seem so impressed with their own powers and opinions that they quite ignore acts of Parliament passed for their guidance. To illustrate this, I may mention the illegal letting of the toll-gate, so ne time ago. There is also another instance pretty well known to the public. That is the blunder made in the line of road from Whakataki to Cashpoint, through Mr Johnson's land. The members of the Board could not, or would not take the trouble to find out whether they had the right to make this road or not, before calling for tenders, and commencing tho work in the land of Mr Johnson. An action for trespass was threatened, and this I belivo, opened olie eyes of the Board that it was possible they might be doing wrong. The upslot of this is, no road, and a good deal of money paid to Mr Tucker,' the contractor, for compensation.. If the members of the Road Board will read clause 117, of the " Public Works Act, 1370," they may gain some little information re toll gates. I have, &c., A Resident.