Correspondence
Sir: The residents of Otaki are very anxious to have a road along the beach front, and I personally think it would be very nice, but at what cost? It is generally understood that the beach front is public property; this is erroneous. Of about 160 chains of front from Otaki River to Waitohu, only about 60 chains belong to the public and this was given by Mr Byron Brown, something like 20 acres. The length of front required for a road would be some 80 chains, of which 40 chains is Government and private property. This property goes right down to the high water mark and people are on this property on sufferance, their legal rights are in the water when the tide is high. If it were possible to buy the land required for a road from the Government and private landowners, it would cost at least £1,000. Now, if we without considering any other cost put twelve men on the job and allowed them four months to do it at 12s a day, the whole cost, including land, would be £738…. Let us keep within our means and not repeat former follies.— Yours, etc., RESIDENT.