THE PAEKAKARIKI ROAD

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 296, 10 September 1919, Page 10

THE PAEKAKARIKI ROAD

COST OF IMPROVEMENTS

ATTITUDE OF HUTT COUNTY A MATTER FOR THE GOVERNMENT Recently the Minister of Public AVorks (Sir William Frnser) asked the Hutt County Council if it would contribute '.fiiflfl towards tho cost of eil'ecting improvements to the Paekakariki Hill Road. Tho Minister pointed out that as it was desirable that the improvements should bo completed at nn early dale, an authority for i'soo as part of the money to be contributed by him had beiili issued to the district engineer, .who already had a party of men employed. Ho regrotted, however, that he was unable to undertake work in excess of .£SOO without recoivintr a contribution of at least that amount from tho council as the local authority fot tha district. The matter was considered at yesterday's meeting of the council, when Councillor AV, J, Howell mo red that a letter be sent to the Minister of Public AVorks, jwinting out that owing to the high cost ef the maintenance of roads, duo largely to the-heavy traffic thereon ns a consefiuunee of tho curtailment of the railway service, the council considered that the Government should defray the whole of the expense incurred by the improvements at present being made to tho Paekakariki Hill Road. Sneaking to the motion, Councillor Howell said thcro was a better way of gettintt to Plininierton, and that was by the proposed new road via Pukerim.' .Sooner or later that road would have to be constructed. There was only one way in which the council could obtain money to cover tho cost of tho improvements to the Paekakariki Hill Road, and that was bv loan. He was suro the ratepayers would not vote in favour of a loan, even for a sum of £500.

Money Being Wastod. Councillor AA r . Galloway seconded the resolution, nnd eaid the work tho Government was at. present doing on the road was a waste of money. That the Government should ask the ratepayers to contribute towards tho cost nf the work was'a disgrace. He criticised the manner in which the work was at ■ present being done, and .pointed out that the Public AVorks Depnrtmen't war. not really directing its attention to the most daft eerous oart of tho road, which was in tho Horokiwi riding. Paekakariki Hill uroner was not tho most dangerous jstrt of the road.

Councillor Howell could not ngreo with Councillor Galloway's remarks, os ho considered that the work was being done well, and that a vast improvement was being made to tho road. The Public AVorks Donartment had started on tho risht basis. It would be fivo or seven Years before the Pukerua road would be completed, and no ono would suggest that.there should be any delay on that account in effecting an improvement to the cresent main arterial thoroughfare.

Councillor i[. W. Welch reienrtad that the Public Works Department had undertaken the work on the Paekalcariki Hill Road without consulting tho council. That .was a step in the right direction, for it lent support to the argument that the Government should tako over the control of the whole of tho main nrterial roads. That was what would have to be done in the near future. No local authority could copo with tho great amount, of tralKc—tlie "Wellington city milk traflic, for instance—tint passed over such a road as the Pnekakuriki Hill Road. The whole of the local bodies adjacent to the Hutt county should be called anon to pay their fair share of the cost of maintaining the road in good rcnair. It was only by such a system that roads could bo kept in good order. Tho cost, of certain work in his riding would have to be contributed to by the City Council and all the neighbouring local bodies. The Wellington City .Council used tho Paekakariki Hill Road, but it did not help to pay for its upkeep.

Councillor- P. Cavanagh did not think the Government would ever take over tho arterial reads.

"You should put a toll-gale on the road." remarked Councillor J. Whiteman "that is the fairest way of making everyone pay."

Councillor Howell thought Ihe motor trndo would benefit most by road improvements. The- settlers living ulongftirlo the Paekakariki Hill Bond would not caiu much, as tho present road was good enough for them. ,

At this stage- a deputation of Plimmcrton ratepayers waited on the council in reference to the proposed main west road via Pukerua. Tvre-Tax Suggested, Mr. A. Mildenhall mentioned that a meeting of ratepayers at Plimmertou had protested' against money being spent on tho Paekakariki Hill l'oad, as it would only be a dead loss. They thought it would 1m better to spend the money on the railway deviation between Paremata and Pukerua. Tho money being spent on the Paekakariki Hill ltond ' whs not being expended on the most dangerous part of the road, which was on the "Wellington sids of the hill. The construction of the main west road wrts not a county, but a Government matter. A road via Pukerua would bo shorter, aud tho grade would bo lower than that of the existing road. Tho Government should be urged to accept expert advice on the.matter, and expedite the formation of the proposed new road. To carry out tho necessary improvements to tho Paekakariki Hill ltaad would cost at least J20.000... "Wo feel that the Government should maintain tho roads by a tax collected on the tyres of motor-Gal's as they come into tho country," added the speaker. "That is the best and the easiest way of obtaining the fa:;, and it is tho most economical way of doing it." Mr. .'f. Ames wanted to know whether any estimate had been obtained of tho cost of tho road from Paremata to Puke-Tii.-i. No one seemed to know what the bridge would cost to build.

Councillor Galloway said that before the war tlio estimate for the bridge was .£4BOO. Mr. Ames: The money proposed to be snout on the Paekakariki Hill' lioad would cover the cost of the otlwr work, tlio bridge as well. 'Die chairman (Mr. P. G. Cooper): They started tlio work without consulting us. Counoillor,Jlowell was of opinion that the idea oi collecting money by means of a Ivro tax would never lie carried out. Mr. Ames: Tlio motorists are willing for it. Councillor Howell stated that the best nutlioritiea to maintain roads were the locul bodies, who should receive a heavier subsidv for maintenance tam the Government. The Government should impose a general tax to meet the cost. Ho was u believer In direct taxation. If a tvro tax were imposed it would only mean thnt the cost of travel by motor would bo heavier. Mr. Mildenhnll: The motor people are ouite prepared lo pay an extra 2u per cent, if their tyres will run double the distance. Councillor Welch said it was no uso discussing the question until local bodies were empowered to tax motor-car.s. Locul bodies had asked for that power, but so fur thev had been unnblo to obluin it. Tlieri! wero thousands of pcopln using the roads who paid nothing for their upkeen. Those were the men they wanted to L'Ct lit. After further discussion, Councillor Howell's resolution was carried, and, on tlm motion of Councillor Galloway, it was decided that a deputation should wait on tlio Minister of public Works, to request that a survcv of the proposed new main wist road I>3 made, and that local bodies be supplied with the estimated cost of the. work.

PAREMATA-PAEKAKARIKI DEVIATION. COST ESTIMATED AT m,(W. The. deviation of tho road over the 'Paekukariki .Hill, for which Air. W. 11. Field, jr. f., lias asked for a long time, is lilcely to prove a very costly piece of work. Sir William Frascr (Minister of Public Works) said yesterday thi.t. tho proposal) to construct n deviation between I'au'inata and I'aekaknriki was undir consideration. Preliminary estimates disclosed that tho cost would bo about JC6-1,080, sufficient survey of tho routa having been made for tho purpose of preparing tins estimate.