The Otahuao Road District Question.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3391, 20 December 1889, Page 2

The Otahuao Road District Question.

' •'•• (To the Editor.) • : i ; Silt,—Will you kindly allow me space for a few romarlis upon the arguments which, the County' Council de^edc^eu:::! 1 'o*™ 0 *™ tliom tp'rejeot-ear"petition for forming fee new 'fl.talinjiQ'ltika District ? , Councillor | the poopleju tlie district:.of tli'e \ .Masterton riding;.are bled.for: tho , maintenance of a county road which , is of little benefit to them to about <

the same ostout, {fcbpugh no.figiires' were adduced to support this) its we. are bled forthe*'Mirite ; naricoo'f.dis-J trict roads whiob'are of no benefit,to. us, therefore, we Iliad no grievance;;' which is merely saying that- two wrongs make a right. That Cr J)agg should have exhibited some confusion of ideas lam not astouisbecl at; but! I am surprised, that he should.have been backed up in this line of argument by the Chairman and Cr Maunsell, the latter of whom would even hold'us indebted to the Masterton Spad Board for the making of the county road.; Surely'that cause is. weak that-; has to.be supportecLby such props as these I The questions are.eutirely distinct: the.one is a Oounty'a'fl'air; llio otliera Eoad Board matter; but if they are so far. connected that tJio righting of one wioiig is likely to be fqllowed.by the righting of the wrongs' of the Masterton riding, ihen our case is doubly strong, and cries out for justice not only for 'ourselves,' but ■ for our suffering neighbours of the west, Couucillovs 'seemed'to fear 'that the result of our action would be the. formation of. a new county.' ■To Wl' seems more probable that it..will result in the readjustment,: of ;th'es County (ridings; and if this readjustment is'upon a more eqnitablo basis than the-prcsont ono, we shall to ourselves for having been" the- unworthy means of forwarding so desirable a movemerit,''lSut, sir','is'lt riot ratber'late in the day to complain' of one more subdivision, when, as Cr Chamberlain 'reminded the Council, they M already granted nine. Are not the very meii.who.decided at. the Council board that our blood must continue toiboi shed, .the ones that never rested till they had staunched their own, and applied the same process ot amputati6ri' : they now 'deny' to. us? Why has this lofty aliruism been so Ibrig in manifesting itself ? There'is no, answer to. Cr Chamberlain's proposition, that what lliey had done nine times already they could not fairly decline''to 1 do a tenth, The other objections offered ,were mero niatters of detail, 'and 'presented no difficulties which could not have been •readily am, etc.,

A. P. Whatman. Hbotsford, December 16,1889. MUNICIPAL ELECTION.' Tim 'eiection'fdr a sent on the Masterton : Borough' Oouiicil passed l off very quietly yesterday,, Tho competitors, Messrs Dalryitiplo' 'and McEwen, spent the day in up .voters, but nol special; vehiclesor active agents were at work. 'I be Returning Officer"read tho result, of the pollin the presence ■of some twenty : ;or thirty" people as follows:' ' :Y :.:-.G.B..W,ijDalrymple.,'. 79 "E.ilcEwen'. 108 and declaredj the latter duly; elected, The successful candidate mounted tlie„steps ; of,:the. polling;.booth and returned thank briefly for the honor conferred■>upon -him;: He trusted, whemho came to give an account of his' stewardship' ■ the ■ burgesses wonldbe: satisfied with his conduct. (Applause.),, Mr /'Da'lryinplein a lively'' speech ,' tliauked', those who had. expressed- their confidence'in hini that day, He was willing to let his opponent 1 have the'lienors of office for tho .extent of the term, which was but pf nine months' duration. 1 f Tlieii, lie bad no doubt, .the position would be. reversed, (Laughter,) He considered the present .election but an incentive to further effort. (Applause.) He concluded ■ by moving -a vote of tbaiilts to tbe'Retuming officer.