The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 1885. WAIRARAPA EAST COUNTY ROADS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1967, 17 April 1885, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 1885. WAIRARAPA EAST COUNTY ROADS.

The report of Mr Bremner on the- state of the roads in the County of Wairarapa East, which we published yesterday, is not .of a pkauant nature, no matter from what point it is yjev/ed, The gist of it is contained in the simple statement that upwards of £4OOO will be required .during the current year for the maintenance of the three County roads, from Masterton to Waimata, Eketaluma to Tinui, and Waingawa to Opaki, exclusive- of a necessary diversion on the Eketahuna-Tinui line. Mr Bksmjjp states that the main and district roads throughout the County have never yet been adequately maintained, hut, on the contrary, have from year to year been steadily deteriorating through insufficient caring for, This statemont, though in itself perfectly correct, might with advantage be amended by adding that only a very small proportion of the total length of these roads has ever been properly completed, This has not been the fault of the Council, because it would have been impossible to raise the large sum of money required to cany out such oxtensive works, as it could not be borrowed, and the ratepayers would have objected to any proposal that would have involved them' in the payment- of Urates that must, in somo instances, have proved simply ruinous. Tfa> Council .has a difficult task beforo it, but the same difficulty has presented itself, though perhaps in a less degree, year after year. The increased : traffic, as Mr Bremner points out, is causing proportionate damage, and extra expenditure is the natural consequence.

It may, liowover, be questioned -whether the estimates may not be modified without injurious consequences; indeed, we do not see how they can be fully met without, imposing very heavy burdens in the shape of rate's, The two last summers have been exceptionally unfavorable for traffic on-all roads, whdthor macadamised or riot, 'and as the winters were also- very jrot,. •tho natural has been that they'have got into a worse state than usual. Perhaps the. splendid weather which prevails during l the present fall'of the seasons will help to keep them in fair condition for winter traffic. .Mr Brejiner makes a'Rood suggestion when he says that the width of tires on drays should be defined,-for there is no doubt that the narrow tires which are generally used do an enormous amount of damage on all kinds, of roads;butwecan hardlyfollowhim so far as to support the closing of roads in winter where they have got very had, These roads are there for public convenience, and to close any one of thenv might have the effect of starving out the settlers, who see in it their only means of access to a market. If it could be done without injury to anyone, it would, of course, save the ratepayers a good deal of money.' Many roads are, undoubtedly, kept in a state of mud simply because the sunlight never reaches them, and tho proposal to cut down the bush where required must therefore he considered useful and practical. When the Council meets to consider the report it will have its hands full, and the ratepayers will be anxious to know the result, especially with regard to the maintenance of main roads.