NETHERTON ROAD REPAIRS

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4513, 10 January 1923, Page 2

NETHERTON ROAD REPAIRS

♦ A QUESTION OF FINANCE. DECISION ARRIVED AT. At the Hauraki Plains County Council meeting on *Mondav Cr. Hare brought, up the matter of the condition of Nethertpn Road and asked if the engineer had any report. Ac the last meeting he had suggested borrowing metal from Paeroa. The engineer replied tha x t .the question of. finance was the 'only thing holding the matter up. As spqn as the money was available a contract could be let. In response to a questiop by Cr.’ Harris Cr. Hare stated that there had been no meeting of ratepayers in regard to payment of rates, but the Council would recollect that it had decided there should be no bargaining witji ratepayers. If the work was done the rates would pobably be paid. The engineer stated that at least ; 1206 yards of metal, costing roughly £l6OO, would be needed to make the main road fit for winter traffic. It could not be done out of fates’. Cr. Hayward stated that the Council should come to some finality and should do what it could. Necessary money would be available if the rates were paid, and the engineer, should be instructed to spend money as i.t became available. The chairman suggested that the engineer and riding members meec and decide which route .they desired to secure for winter traffic, with special reference to,the old road and Wilsons’ Road.. Cr. Hare said he would prefer to see the whole Council there. Cr. Mayn : The whole question is finance. The Chairman : Where is the worst part of the road ? „ Cr Parfitt: All of it is the worst. The Engineer : The peat portion is probably the worst, but there is not much to choose. The Chairman : If only £B6O or £9OO. were collected and spent it wouhl make a big difference. Cr. Hare : If the riding was prepared to raise a special loan one road could be put in order. The .Chairman : If only the rates were paid one road cpuld be made available. Five or six hundred yards of metal would Ynake a big difference. The engineer stated that portion of the metal could be obtained from * Karangahake or from the dump in Paeroa. * Cr, Mayn asked where the money was coming from to pay for it. Cr. Hayward said it was a mistake to go on with Wilson’s Road unless it was possible to complete it, otherwise it would not be possible to get through by either road. The engineer agreed that it would be a mistake to go on with Wilson's road unless metal was available, as otherwise the formation wbuld require to be done again. Cr. Parfitt stated that rates were coming in slowly, and should be spent as they came in and patching gone on with. . All members agreed with Cr. Parfitt. Cr. McLoughlin proposed that the old road be patched.—Carried. Cr. Hayward : But we can only Jo what the money lets us. If the rates are not paid both roads will be blocked. Five hundred yards of metal wiil not go’ very far. The chairman believed it would be best to do the road from the factory to the school, which work would cost the best part of £1606 oat ofi loan - money, and do the other patching: out of rates. Cr Parfitt moved that the engineer be authorised to patch the road from Puke bridge to the school to the extent of £5OO and tp form and metal out of the Netherton Loan th© road from the school to the. factory bridge. Seconded by Cr. Harris’ and carried.