MAIN HIGHWAYS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4660, 11 February 1924, Page 2

MAIN HIGHWAYS.

COUNTY ROADS NOMINATED. c'r. A. R. Robiuson, chairman of the 01 inemuri County Council, and its member on the district council of the Main Highways Board, reported al Thursday's meeting of the county council that he had attended a meeting of the No. 2 District Council in Auckland, and advised that he had nominated certain roads in the countj area to come under the main high- . . ways scheme. .

Continuing, Cr. Robinson stated the essence of. the scheme was for the county council to decide upon which roads were to come under the scheme. and the practicability of financing work. To his mind one of tlie chief -• roads was from the Puke to the Tauranga County boundary. This road had been nominated and approved of by the district council, and he trusted that the members would endorse his action. When it came to ’nominating the Paeroa-Te Arolia road as a road under the scheme, Cr. Robinson said it was not so easy, and evoked a lot of discussion, but it was pleasing to report that the support of the chairman of the district council (Mr A. J. Baker) had been accorded the suggestion. As regard the PaeroaHikutaia road, which was also nominated, although it did not meet witn full .support, the matter was referred * . totbe Board for its decision. -J It was really a matter for congratulation, said Cr. Robinson, to thir.k ; that approximately 27 miles out of 34 miles of roads nominated in the county had been recommended by the dis-, trict council to the Highways Board : as work to be undertaken during the coming financial year. The council had been asked to supply the Board with data as to mileage, and material ‘ available in connection with the scheme, ami Cr. Robinson said he honed the members would look on the work as of national importance and to lend support and energy to the vai i- . . ous undertakings. It was estimated that the Board would have approximately £2ODO io £3OOO available th) first year for the Ohinemuri County, an 1 the councillors would have to be prepared to -consider what motley could be spent on maintenance works. Y

In answer to Cr. Morgan the chairman said that the Highways Boar.r undertook to do the work on the npm • mated roads, but it was necessary ’ that tiie council should be in a posi- , c tion to guarantee half the cost of construction, either from revenue or by. - means of a loan. Where t> council ’ had machinery for carrying out the . ' work the district highways council \ would authorise the county council to carry out the work. The Highways 4 Board had mo intention of crippling local bodies, but before any work was -g undertaken it wais, necessary that the Board .should know exactly the dispositions of the council. Cr. H. M. Corbett said he. did noi(JL anticipate any difficulty in raising special loans carrying £1 for £1 sdb- < sidles within the county area. Cr. Mace was of the opinion that ’ rf the two and a half miles of unmetai- i led portion of the Paeroa-Tc Aroha road should be the first consideration. It wa.-. necessary to have that road • metalled as early as possible, dspe- % cially in view of the fact that motor traffic to the Waihi and Thames C beaches was increasing every summer. In reply to the chairman the engineer <■ said that the total estimated cost of . t metalling the whole of the PaeroaTe Aroha road was £3400.

The chairman said he was not in --. ; favour of a special loan being raised - ; for m<tailing that area., . a On tne motion of Cr. Mace, second- ,■ ed by the chairman, it w r as resolve! that the council should recommend tlie metalling of about 60 chains, of . ,-.i the road from Waitoki Creek to Fitz- s geralds, at a. cost to the council o' - approximately £550 under tlie Main Highways Board. By metalling that portion of the road the assistance of j tlie Board would be given the council, and a tremendous saving would be effected in maintenance. Tn reply to Cr. H. M. Corbett-the ehai'nnan stated that the Board would only nay maintenance on metalled roads under the scheme. Cr. Johnstone said he thought that as the total cost of putting down the whole road in permanent material was estimated at £34'90. he would like to see the council raise a special loan "W* for it's .share, approximately £l7OO, and “go the whole hog.” which was preferable to doing a small portion of the road at a cost of £550 from the council’s general fund. Cr. Morgan supported. Cr. Hubbard favoured lifting as much money as was available for putting down permanent roads. He contended that the more progressive a council was the greater the help it would receive from the Board. Ha favoured a definite portion of permanent loading being carried out every year, and a start being made as early as possible. The saving m maintenanee on main highways must not oe overlooked. . ’«'■ Cr. Morgan expressed his dissatisfaction with the scheme as set out by the Highways Board, and said that he was disappointed with the amount of , finance available. The chairman said that he was convinced, after attending meetings >t U the district council, that the whole scheme was sound and practicable, and would undoubtedly be of inestimable benefit to the whole of New Zea land. Cr. H. M. Corbett favoured the abolishment of riding accounts. “It cuts both ways,” said the chairman, “and every ratepayer undoubtedly will use some portion of the main highways.” After further discussion it was decided to nominate the Puke to Tauranga County boundary main road, estimated maintenance upkeep for thi? year £l3OO, and the-Paeroa-Te Archa road, estimated cost, etc., £780; for inclusion in this year’s work.