HUTT ROAD CONTROL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2519, 14 July 1915, Page 10

HUTT ROAD CONTROL

MINISTER OP RAILWAYS APPROACHED. '

A deputation representing the contributory bodies to the Hiitt Road construction and its maintenance waited on the.Minister-of Railways (the Hon. ;W H. Herries) yesterday, when certain ,points in the .Bill 'which is to come beforo Parliament Were considered. Mr. T. M. ■' AVilford suggested that the Governmont should raiso their contribution' from £40,000 to £60,000, and pointed out that the oost to tho Hntt and Petone boroughs would be extremely heavy if tlie present . apportionments stand.

■ The Mayor of Wellington (Mr. J. P. Luke) said that the City -Council would agree to a Board of Control being set up, though, it also would consent, if the Government desired it, to act as the controlling body, land he would agree to. a five-yearly revision. H e further pointed out'the value to Hutt aiid l'etone of the road,, and said that the highway chielly served the interests of tlioso localities. The cost of construction would have been less had the road' been formed. separately from , the railway, and for that reason lie urged the Minister to make the Railway Department's contribution greater. The Minister, in reply, said tliat lie would consent to a Board of' Control if the deputation, as representatives of the various bodies, could' agree upon its personnel and representation. But he Was not going to have the Bill hung' up by disagreement on this point. It was for that reason the Wellington City Council had been named originally. The request for a periodic revision was reasonable, with certain' restrictions,, but he could not go back on the. original contribution of £40,000. The Government liad already reduced by nearly half, the amount originally allowed, £100,000. He thought the Government had already done a fair thing. He thought there would bo no objection to the proposal of the deputation for power to have the money raised by the local bodies by debentures, with provisions, for redemption,, and permission might be embodied to enable this to be done. :

The Mayor of Wellington has convened a' meeting of suburban Mayor's and chairmen of tlie local contributing bodies for 2.30 p.m. tin Friday. •