TURUA ROADS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4520, 26 January 1923, Page 3

TURUA ROADS.

raising a LOAN. COUNCIL’S ASSISTANCE WANTED. At Wednesday's meeting of the Hauraki Plains County Council a deputation from the southern area of the TuA'ua riding, consisting of,Messi’s P. R. Henry and G. Madgwick, waited upon the Council and asked them 1 io expedite the raising of the roading loan that was authorised by the ratopayeis of the. southern a r ,ea 011 December 18. . .Mr. Henry said there had been coirsi.derable delay and that .time was going on- The summer was {half ovei. The time was now opportune to raise money. He suggested that a loan oe raised and. lifted in instalments, say, £so*oo now, £lo,ooo'in November, and the remainder when necessary. The money was wanted as soon as possible, and he suggested that a deputation be sent -to Wellington with a view to obtaining it. Mr Madgwick stated that there was a £5OO subsidy’on the Gumtown roads, and this should be lifted while it was available, as it might not be on the Estimates next year. Considerable discussion ensued as to the cause of the delay from the time the scheme was first mooted in May till the poll was taken in December, but the clerk explained that after the southern area had decided to go oh with/the scheme alone the rolls had to be prepared. However, ■ everything was now ready for the Council to decide whether the loan was to be raised in New Zealand or outside. Cr- Harris moved, and Cr. McLouglv lin' seconded, that steps be taken to/ raise the money in instalments, as suggested. ' ■The motion was 1 carried. Mr Madgwick' pointed out that a limited amount, could be obtained . from the State Advances Department. Cr. Chatfield said the Council had already borrowed up to the limit imposed till the end of Mafrch from that source. Mr Henry was of the opinion that better results would be otbained by sending a deputation than by writing to the money-lending institutions. Several councillors concurred. The chairman said he would like to see the work gone on with as quickly as possible, as pt'her pants of the county were watching that work. Cr. Hayward endorsed this, and said it would pay .to start as soon as possible, as the winter’would soon be upon them. . Mr Madgwick said that some of: his committee would be i glad to go to Wellington with, the deputation if their expenses were paid. Mr Henry thanked the council, and the deputation withdrew. , Several councillors opposed the idea of ratepayers going to ■' Wellington with the deputation, but pointed out that the Council could not pay their expenses, and apparently they would not gp unless their expenses were paid. Cr. Hare, pointed out that there were many , other matters that codld be attended to by the deputation when in Wellington. Theire were several loans authorised, but not yet raised. Cr. McLoughlin moved,, and Cr. Chatfield seconded, that the chairman and the clerk be the deputation -o Wellington.—Carried. Cr. Chatfield wished co know if there was anything being done in , the way of raising the Netherton Roads' loan. Cr. Hayward stated that the Council'had more work in hand than,the present plant could handle,’ and ne would like to hear some discussion as to obtaining more. The Nethelrton work would need all the present plant.

. Mr.'Miller said the Tur.ua loan could be expended right away if there was more plant.* Work could: be cairried on all winter 'if Che council had rails. Regarding rails, the engineer stated that 211 b rails would be advisable for road work and 281 b rails (48% tons to the mile) for the quarry. Seventy-five chains of rails would be necessary at the quarry. He advised indenting them from England. The cost of the 281 b (rails (for; the quarry would be about £ll a ton landed at Auckland. He suggested that they should be obtained now, as the prices were low. Sleepers for a permanent railroad would cost about £2 per chain. Cr. Parfitt said the (reading was a big question, and .without doubt rails were the solution- During practical try the whole of the last twelve months it had been too wet to cart metal on the roads. Other councillors agjreed that rails were necessary, and a discussion arose as to where they would be most useful. It was agreed that about six miles of tramline could be utilised for three or four years between the two rivers. The- engineer was instructed (on the motion of Cr. Hayward, seconded by Cr. Chatfield) to make inquiries about irails and trucks and report at next meeting. Cr. Hayward suggested getting a loan for rails and plant, but the cle*"k pointed out that that could be .included in any reading loan proposals; It was decided that the next meeting should be held on February 5.