A TROUBLESOME ROAD

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3121, 27 June 1917, Page 6

A TROUBLESOME ROAD

SUM REQUIRED FOR MAINTENANCE?

Tt is somewhat difficult to define the powCTS of the Hutt Road Board m view of the fact that the road is vested in the City Council, just as is Lam Won Onay. It is. however, customary to submit the maintenance estimates to the board each year, and this was done yesterday afternoon in the Mayors room at the Town Hall. There were present the Mayor (presiding), Messrs. H. Baldwin (Hutt Borough Council), J Wjkehain Hutt County Council), and J. H. Hag.'ertv (Makara County Council). Onslow and'Petone Boroughs were unrepresented. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) explained initially that the estimates for the yeai had been prepared, and the combers of the hoard had the figures before them Mr. Baldwin said that he had received no figures-absolutely nothing e«ept the notice to attend thof eetmg. The chairman said that there must have been a mistake, as they had been sent out a week before. Continuing:, he stated that last year the estimates for the Hutt Road work had been ioOrO, which had been cut down by one-halt by resolution of the hoard, matallS the amount The actual amount spent was .«!>O. This year the estimate* amounted to JHM2. made up as• foliow,:latoiu- and, cartage, .£10,2; metal. ££0 screenings for bm< mR, SI «>; tai J in« and wad surfasinß. .£o00; rolling, Ji2S3: contingencies, .£IOO. In the conree of his report on the estimates the cilv engineer (Mr. AJ . tl. Moi1 0 ,) ; n id:-"The above estimate provides particularly for extending the metalling as far a* possible from where the woik ceased last year towards Ngahauranga, ■leaving "he wmainder of the road to be repaired by-patching until Hie new of metal extends over the full length of the road. The total expenditure last year was £»8M os. 7d.. exclusive of the cost of some of the material." In commenting .on the estimates the Al-ivor said that the strenuous traffic hi.l been subjected to throughmi Hie Tear and the resultant wear and rKreved that what had been done "£ not as mfich as they ought to do to hole^fthi road as far acetone. There wa more water lying about than there oiHif.lo be, and here and there throughp t the length of the road the tonndalions were cropping out. Personally he i?vo think that sufficient crown had c n p nvd I. The sheathing of the road 3, 110 satisfactory. Tho sooner Z o a. permanent s.urface the better would he for all partic? concerned. He roHilally moved the adoption or the esh'"Thfs was seeonded by Mr. AVakehani. Al II Baldwin 'aid he mu:-t oppose the .' pending further information in re- •.,.,, |.he"tar-spraymg. He was informed that the money spent in that nanner had been thrown away Was the •■imp tvsleui to be carried out? ThoMavor mentioned that there was a cation for -gel tin? a machine which didta" spraying better than had been Vr i ll!klw| , l,: t '-T have been informed A" "ho travel ove,-I he road three • t'our times a day that the road which J" e,!red has never been in a worse rnmlitiDn and now looks as though tai S wi,af P Uni to compel the loa be lesi.M'ny for thic r ? d formation work outside their respective bounda'i''he'Mavor said that he took it that a ~<- olutio ' P ssed by the City Council and ■ en h r=ed bv the board was sufficient. " • Wakeham said that the portion of the road, which had been sprayed was • rv much better than any other part, of the' road. What he complaiiwl ot »«i. Up w.ste of moncv that went on in con,'oetion with the work. He had seen three I r ,. t ,l in spreading one cartload ■ netn Ho had had a. lot of experience in road-making, but had never seen was Eoiiw to be criticism they had better lo into cSmmittee, as Mr. Morion was not 3 moved that the JM for furl her tar and bitumen surfacing bi> struck nut. ~ ~ The Mavor viiggesled Hint the meeting h-id better adjourn for a week, as then ",hey would probably have Mr. M'Kwan (Mavor of Petone) present. . Fn' ansiver to a question the Mayor said ,],!,' {the ""P" 1 ' 1 ll1 "" '-t» ,v0,,hl be iidditi.mal to the £1802 provided in tho estimates. It was agreed that the board should meet next Tuesday.