NEWCASTLE ROAD BOARD.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2289, 12 March 1887, Page 3

NEWCASTLE ROAD BOARD.

TO THE EDITOB. Sir,—Now that the election is over I should like to refer to the short note which appeared in your local columns of March 3rd re Pukete representation and the monopoly of the board by the ratepayers of the southern end of the district. Without disputing that Pukete is entitled to its proper representation, I should like to point out that Pukete has a good representative in the person of Mr Corbett, and the board has never, since I have been in it, refused any application which that gentleman has made for road works. But lest the ratepayers at the Ngaruawahia and Pukete end of the district should imagine that the rates have gone along with what they term "the southern monopoly," I may state that south of the WhatawhataHamilton road, which comprises (roughly speaking) about a third of the district, an amount of £31 has been spent since the present board came into office, towards which munificent sum, one settler alone, Mr C. Day, contributed no less than £28; but going north from Whatawhata in a radius of about two miles nearly £100 has been spent. The works that have been undertaken at Te Kawhia, Pukete, Old-Hamilton/-road, Whatawhata township, and Tuhir 'ramea, have been of immediate and pen&inent benefit to the ratepayers in those localities, but of the large sum spent in the Ohote and Whatawhata neighbourhood the major portion has, practically speaking been thrown away. Had this money been devoted to opening the road from Ohote to the Pukete Railway Station, this cutting the district in two, and opening up a large area of land which i 3 at present useless for want of roads, as well as giving easy access to Whatawhata and Pukete settlers ; or had it been spent in other parts in assisting settlers to reach the main roads, its expenditure would have been a credit, instead of a discredit to the board. I trust the foregoing will show the Pukete people that the rates levied in their district have not gone to the southern end ; and much as they have been neglected in the past, they have only to come to the Tuhikaramea portion of the Newcastle district to find a much worse state of things.— I am, yours obediently, E. C. Shepherd. Whatawhata, March %h,