IS IT "A DUMMY BOARD?"

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2790, 7 June 1916, Page 6

IS IT "A DUMMY BOARD?"

CONTROL OF HUTT ROAD

ESTIMATES FOR THE YEAR

Tho proceedings, during a meeting of the Hutt Road Hoard, called to consider the estimates for the, current year, could not be described as an unrulFleu calm.

The meeting was attended by the Mayor (Jlr. J. P. Luke), who occupied tho chair, Air. J.' W. M'iiwan (Mayor of Petone), Mr. H. Baldwin (Mayor of tho Lower Hutt), Mr. M. W. Welch (chairman of the Hutt County Council), Mr. C. 0. Crump (Mayor of Onslow), Mr. P. T. Moore (chairman Johnsonville Town Board), and Mr. Monaghon (chairman Makara County Council), together with the clerk (Mr. J. It.. Piiliner) and engineer (Mr. W. H. Morton). The Mayor, in opening the meeting, said there was a good deal to be cleared away in the matter of administration, with a view of getting something like united action in respect to tho policy of the board. It hail been said that the board had .really very little to do with tho Hutt Eoad, but lie maintained that the board had all to do with tho roa<i in tho establishment of general principles, as much as though they were vested with the powers of a local body. It was true that the City Council was constituted the controlling authority under the Act, with Mr. Palmer and Mr. Morton -as its ofiioers for carrying out the executive work. He had been over the road recently, and could say tnat the sheathing of the road between Thorndori and Kaiwarra was going on very well. Further on towards NgahauTonga tho bottom was protruding, and there were quite bad places still further on. But they must remember that they had hardly got a start yet. The engineer would like to have up-to-date plant for dealing with seven miles of road, SOft. in width. He would ako like to obtain other material cheap, but metal was dear, and was not ideal for heavy traffic. Certainly something more durable was necessary on this road, and they had to look at the question as one of common interest and evolve a system of road work' that Was not subject to the continuously heavy expense that a macadamised surface was. I It was neoessary to pass the estimates. They had not got tiie best plant and material to carry out the work, but it was war-time, and it was impossible to get the . machinery. He moved that the estimates be passed. ;Mr. Welch said. that it seemed that they were paying a tremendous price for metal, and he asked the Engineer what it was costing a yard. .. Morton said that metal landed on the Hutt Eoad was costing lis. 6d. a yard. Mr. Wolch said that if tho council got its own quarry they could have the use of the Hutt County Council's moveable crusher. He .wished to know whether anything was - being done in connection with getting :a'quarry. ■ The Mayor said lie oould not discuss the matter, but perhaps could give sbmo information in committee later. Mr. Crump judged by a romark dropped by tho chairman about the powers of the board, that they wero vested in tho City Council, and certain automatic questions were referred to the Board.

J.he Mayor said that matters considered by the board had to be relegated to" the City Council. '

Jlr. Crump: Awl they can please 'themselves—they can dp what they like? If •■that is the case this is a dummy board. Mr. H. Baldwin: It has been proved a dummy board by the Mayor's statement, l'hero. are certain automatic powors, Lut we have no constitutional rights, no right to inspect—the City Council docs the whole lot.

Mr. M'Ewan said if that were ifclie case the board was essentially a dummy board. They may approve the estimates or not City Council- may or may not go on with the work, .Under these extraordinary circumstances, he would move that the estimates and. the .whole question of the board's powers be referred to a committee, consisting of Messrs. Moore,Welch, and the Mayors"..of Mutt and I'etone.

The chairman (Mr. Luke): I cannot' agree to that. ,lf Mr. M'Ewan intends to act in a. hostile manner, my name'must bo left on it!

Mr. M Ewan said ho thought that the chairman would as usual be an ex-officio member. He had no objection to the chairman being on the committee. At this stage Mr. Luke said he must retire, as he had (o presido at the welcome to the returned soldiers, and he asked them to keep things going until ho returned. He requested Mr. M'Ewau to take the chair, and he did so.

Mr. MUwan, continuing, said this was a very serious matter to the smaller local bodies. Petone's bill last year amounted to =£451), and, with interest, to over ■£500. This year the . amount was .which was very severe on a small borough oi a thousand acres of land. They had a portion of the Main Hutt Road within their borough, from the "railway crossing to the head of Jackson Street, a

distance of about thirty chains. The amount spent to keep that section of the road in order was ,£64 is. 6d., or £& 2s. lod/ per. chain, and. barring the traffic to Ngahauranga (from Wellington) it took practically the whole of the Hutt Koad tr.aliic, yet it appeared to him the estimated cost was JTisi ss. per chain, as against Petone's £Z 2s. iOd. He admitted that the cost per chain would necessarily be greater between Wellington and Ngalmuranga, and he hoped the committee would take into consideration the cost of that section of the road. They might also consider the question of a, toll-gate on the Hutt Koad. He knew that such a means of revenue was considered out of date, but the circumstances were so peculiar that such a uieaus of taxation might bo necessary. The matter of setting up a committee was discussed, but as it was found that practically the whole of the board had been nominated, Mr. MTGwan withdrew

his motion, and it was resolved to consider the estimates on l'riday week. The following are the engineer's estimates for the year -.—Labour and cartage, •C 1200; metal (7000 yards), .£3325; screenings, ,£260; rolling (use of steam roller and driver, 190 days, tit 305.), .£235; contingencies, ,£100: total, .£5170.