DEPUTATIONS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2933, 2 May 1891, Page 2

DEPUTATIONS.

TO TUB BDITOK. Silt, —In reference to " Ratepayer's " letter, of the 23rd April, I beg to inform him that 1 was not so lamentably ignorant of the affairs of the Council as ho presumed. I have all the balance-sheets of the Council since September, 1888, and 1 have also filed f.ll their monthly meetings from that date ; therefore I know perfectly well the position of each riding, I venture to say, far better than the majority of tho councillors. "Ratepayer" evidently did not comprehond what I was talking about at the Council Chambers. My object in waiting on the Council was to protest against the unfair system of disposing of the county funds; also the injustice of those ridings which have good roads, and opposing the striking of an Hospital rate, by so doing depriving the Newcastle Riding of tho means of having their roads made. 1 also contend that it was not fair, because a riding is so unfortunately situated as to be the most convenient outlet for a neighbouring county that the riding should be saddled with the whole of the costs for maintaining punts and bridges for the sole benefit of the neighbouring county. In my opinion, it should bo a charge on tho county fund, and not on a single riding. The Whatawliata-Hamilton swamp road, supposed to be the great East and West Coast road, was made solely in the interre.sts of Hamilton and Raglan. The Nowcastle Hiding had not a voice in tho matter. Itwa:; ill first called a tJoverunieiit road, but when this road was about half finished tho Wiiipu County took it over, and then saddled it on to the Newcastle Riding. The punt at Ngaruawahia is also in the interest of the Raglan County and being quite at the extreme end of the Newcastle Riding they have not the slightest interest in it and yet they have to maintain it; the maintenance of this punt should be charged on the counties and not on the ridings, In the near future another crossing place will be required about the Blue Nose, as an outlet for the Kaglau settlers ; this also, I suppose will be thrown on this riding. If all these punts and bridges are to be charged to llio Newcastle Kidinc, it is quite evident there will bo nothiui; left to keep the roads in passable repair. The bridge nt AVliatnwhata i.s fast going to decay, some of the piles buing already rotten, how this bridge i.s to bo renewed is iv ditlicult question to solve. An to the Ngaruavv»hia Town Board, I had nothing to sayi ti the matter knowing nothing whatever of their affairs, and therefore, cannot hold myself responsible for anything that was said on its bohalf. You say I was placed in a false position ; I truly beliove f tun in a bad position, if not a false one. For after paying road rates for upwards of 20 years, and then to find (as your engineer reported to tho Council) our roads still in u state of nature is a bad enough position for any one to be in. Yours, etc., A. Daw.so.v.