434 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



me to follow the practice that Las been followed iu the past, and I 

 could {)rodiic(' no better results than they. 



We must change our method and system. The system of labor 

 taxes was suitable foi' pioneer days. It has performed its work. 

 Many people to-day fear this agitation, because they have the great- 

 est sympathy for the old pioneer methods and do not wish anything 

 should be said that would in any way cast reflectioii on that system. 

 That system did a work which I do not suppose could have been per- 

 formed by any other method, but its day of usefulness has passed 

 awaj-. Those who are most strongly defending its methods are its 

 greatest enemies, because the}' are asking it to perform a work that 

 it never m as designed to do, and in that way they are doiog it a great 

 injustice. We must do away completely with that old method. Let 

 us lay down the system by which the council will have control of the 

 road, appoiiit trained sui3erintendents to look after the work, and 

 equip ourselves with the best modern instruments. Have these 

 placed in the hands of regular officials, with a skilled and experienced 

 superintendent at the head; then lay down the plans and commence 

 to work in a small way. Use to the best advantage the money 

 and the labor you are now expending, and when that is done, and 

 you show the people good samples of first-class work, they will 

 readily appropriate nionej' from their own funds; and the State 

 legislakires will come to your assistance and grant all the aid that 

 is required in bringing about an improvement iu the condition of 

 these roads. 



System, plan and united effort are what are required, and until 

 these are accomplished little can be done. 



My business as an engineer and as a road expert is (I am in the 

 employ of the Government for the Province of Ontario) to go about 

 among the people in the townships, villages and towns, to meet with 

 them in the schoolhouses and town halls, and talk over the question 

 of making the roads in their particular municipality; to take a plan 

 of their township and discuss the question with them, and try to ar- 

 rive at a system for them to work upon; discuss with the road build- 

 ers there the system of statute la-l)or and what should take its 

 place, and help them modify its phins and go along in the right man- 

 ner; to get them then to set aside |100 or |2()0 or |300 for the pur- 

 pose of collectings stones and providing themselves with the proi)er 

 kind of machinery. Then it is my business to go there and take 

 charge of the work of building a piece of road, as far as that material 

 will go; have the people come there and see and watch the work from 

 beginning to end; and have this done in each of the municipalities. 

 I found that this work was absolutely necessary; you had to go 

 among the people, show them what could be done right m their 

 ..wn neighborlioods, convince them that a good road is better than 



