PAEROA ROADS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4723, 11 July 1924, Page 2

PAEROA ROADS.

SERIOUS POSITION SHOWN. A MATTER FOR CONCERN. The following report, submitted to the Paeroa Borough Council meeting last evening by the Works Committee, brings to light the serious state into which the roads in the borough have deteriorated; — “In addition to the usual maintenance work during the month a start has been made with the authorised work of scarifying and rolling certain main roads, commencing with Puke Road. Unfortunately, the work is not proving satisfactory, as much of the scarified material is turningup in very poor condition, apparently being absolutely pulverised. The result is that some portions of the road will not stand at all, and to put the road in fair order it would require an expenditure of fully £4OO. This amount, of course, is not available, and its appears quite impossible *o make a satisfactory job. A careful examination of Station Road shows a similar position, and we have no option but to suggest that only the portion between the mill bridge and Thames Road should be scarified, and the remainder of the road patched. “The serious fact must be faced that the streets in general and the main streets in particular, are gradually deteriorating all and the revenue is totally inadequate to ensure adequate maintenance. When it is noted that at least £4OO is required to recondition Puke Road, and a similar amount is required for Station Road, it will be easily seen that the £2OOO available for public works for the year is totally inadequate to cover maintenance of bridges, culverts, streets, footpaths, drain clean-

ing. etc. “The inspection made during the month shows us clearly that it is impossible even to do absolutely necessary work, and al good deal of Inconvenience to citizens is inevitable unless more money can be found for street improvement purposes. During the visit of inspection notes were made of some of the work most urgently needed, and an estimate has been prepared of these, it shows a total of about £3OO more than is provided for public works this year, and we recommgnd that the scarifying work on the estimates be proceeded with and the remainder of the work in the order of urgency as far as possible.”