COST OF A ROAD.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4476, 6 October 1922, Page 4

COST OF A ROAD.

WAIHI TO WHANGAMATA. SETTLERS' REQUEST. The Thamse County Council- at its meeting on Wednesday considered a letter from the Whangamata Settlers Association which contended that the cost of laying off the Waihi-Whanga-mata Road should be a charge on the general, funds, similar to administi ation expenses. If there was no ah ternative, the association was willing to bear, the cost of taking of the cross sections, provided the Council authorised the expenditure.

The chairman (Cr. H. Lowe) said it was desirable to make esclh riding contribute its share to the administration expenses. If that, had been done an overdraft would never have been built up. It was a case of giving road access and was an .argument in favour of the Government doing all the preliminary rpad work. Cr. Nicol considered, that the application was perfectly fair. The Chairman: Yes, if we had the money. Cr. Nicol maintained that the riding should not pay because the county had no funds. The chairman said the Council should assist as much as it could. He wished to stress tihe point that the Government should do those works. Hundreds of miles of roads had to be made, and could not be done out of rates They did not have enough to keep the presefit roads in a decent state. When he saw the state of some of the roads he was ashamed to admit that he was on the Council, let alone as chairman. EVen if they could make all those roads, what earthly chance would the council have of keeping them in order ? It was useless spending money in laying out roads that they could not for years make intp decent traffic roads.

Cr. Nicol maintained that engineering Charges should come out of grants, and suggested that the Government be appro.ached .with that in view. The expense referred to should not come out of his riding. The chairman agreed on that point, bu,t the road iff question would not benefit the Council, and he asked if it was fair that the Council should he asked to pay. Cr. Nicol said the Ohinemuri County Council was responsible for obtaining the grant on the Estimates. Cr. Faithful] said they could not g> on with that expenditure. If the Government would not resist the Council would (have to let the matter drop. The chairman, jus/ to give the settlers an outlet and help the district., proposed that, the Whangamata settlors’ request be granted. The motion was seconded and carried.