COUNTY ROADING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4876, 11 September 1925, Page 4

COUNTY ROADING.

PRINCIPLE OF SCHEME AFFIRMED

RATEPAYERS TO DECIDE. In accordance with instructions received isome months ago the Hauraki Plains county engineer and the clerk presented the following report on the proposed county reading scheme to the County Council at a special meeting on Monday afternoon last :— “Jn accordance with your instructions we have to report on the proposal to. undertake the construction of permanent main roads and bridges in the county. - .“The roads included in the proposal are : The section of the Pokeno-Waihl main highway from the western boundary of the county to the Puke bridge; the section of .the main highway from the Orongo ferry to Dalgcty’s corner ; the ■ Orongo-Netherton road from Orongo to Pekapeka Road ; the Nga-tea-Kaihere Patetonga road. “The bridges included are : Kirikiri, Pipiroa, Ngarua Landing, Waitakaruru Stream, Waitakaruru Canal, Ngatea, and Puke. “The estimated costs, for bitumen roads are as follows : Western boundary to Puke bridge * £83,600, less Highway Board’s half share, £41,800, £41,800, plus conversion of old Netherotn roads loan as it aftcets the old main road and W’lson’s Road, £6OOO, £47,800 ; Orongo to Daiegty’s corner £lB,ooo', less Highway Board's half share. £9OOO ; Orongo to Pekapeka, new work £9OOO, conversion of old Netherton roads loan (£2000), TuruaNetherton loan (£7400), Turua district loan (£4400), Turtia-Orongo loan £4500), £27,300;' ' Ngatea-Kaiherc-Patetonga, £52,500, less £2 for £1 subsidy, £17,500. Total for roads, £101,60’0. “The estimated share of costs lor bridges : Kirikiri (already over whole county) £12,000, Pipiroa £6000; Ngarua Landing £2OOO, Waitakaruru Stream £lOOO, Waitakaruru Canal £5OO. Ngatea and Puke (subject to poll authorising conversion) £3lOO. Total for bridges, £12,600. “The total cost for bridges and roads is £114,200. “A scheme for the whole county lends itself to dispensing with an item for first year’s interest, etc.,’ which in this proposal would entail a further liability of £9.500, which, by the time the loan was repaid, would become about £25,000.

“A rate of 1.33 d would have to be collected to cover the roads, a rate of .2d for the bridges other than Kirikiri, and a rate of .2d for Kirikiri—in the aggregate 1.73 d. “If the same proposals were carried out by ridings, with special areas lor bridges, the figures would be : Kopuarahi, I.Bd ; Tufua, 3d ; Horahia, l.ld ; Kerepeehi, 2.44 d ;. Netherton, 2.06 d ; Patetonga, 1.84 d; Ngatea, part 2.566 and part 2.6 d ; Pipiroa,. 2.15 d ; ' Waitakaruru, 1.77 d. In connection > with those figures it has to be remembered that the valuations in the ridings vary, as follows: Kopuarahi, Turua, Horahia, and Kerepeehi, £2O per acre;' Netherton and Pipiroa, £l5; Ngatea and Waitakaruru, £l3 ; and Patetonga, £B.

“Some of the reasons which, are in favour of. the proposals and • which appeal to us are as follows: The county scheme could be carried out cheaper than in sections. The maintenance could be made 'a. county charge, and this would assist the outlet ridings of Netherton, Kopuarahi, and Waitakaruru, where’ the traffic concentrates. The maintenance of bridges and ferries are at present a charge over the whole "county. The roads; mentioned carry the bulk of the traffic, and if put-in permanent form the general rate. would be. reduced. That by doing the whole of these roads anyone could get through or about the cour 4, y from any point to another along any of the main routes. That by making these roads and bridges and the ferries county matters (both for construction and maintenance) tends to cancel out existing differences.”

Explaining the scheme, the clerk said that the committee had been asked to show the cost if the whole of' the work was paid for by. the whole of the county, and the cost to a riding of the new Work required therein to

bring the main'Toads up to‘‘ J the bitumen standard should the work be a charge on that riding alone. The por-. tion of the existing road loans dealing with the main roads ivould have to. be converted into a charge on the whole county, and there would be a uniform rate over the whole county of 1.73 d in the £ for the main roads. giving effect to the scheme the general rate would be reduced from 2d to l%d. Cr. Mayn considered the scheme a good, sound one as, it aimed to t reat all parts fairly. Cr. Madgwick agreed. Cr. Hare suggested that the scheme be deferred for the next council. It could be made a plank of the election platform. Cr. Mayn expressed..regret that the cost Of macadam roads had not been showm. Cr. Hare said that the rate c.f 1.2 d for the new' roads in the Netherton riding would 'never be required, ao the Public Works Department would build a new' road on top of the proposed stop-bank. Cr. Hayward said that the ratepayers of his riding would vote against the loan to a man, because the only benefit that would be obtained would be the road from the Ngatea bridge to the Kerepeehi riding boundary, and this for a rate, of almost %d in the £. Cr. Mayn suggested that the Horahia riding he given some' relief by doing more roads in that riding. The cost over the . w'hole county would hardly be noticeable. Orchard EaSt Road could be included. The clerk said that this would increase the cost to the whole county to about I.Bd and the total cost to the Horahia riding to ,1.6 d. The cost to the riding of this road would be .sd. Members agreed that this 'would be fair and that it should be done.

Discussing the reason why On the cost to ridings alone seven would receive a benefit from the county scheme but the other two would not correspondingly lose, the clerk said that three factors had to be taken into consideration —the length of road in the riding, the valuation of the riding, and the cost ,of the work. Cr. Hayward moved that the scheme be deferred until the new’ land valuations had come to hand, and that a fresh report as it affected the ridings be obtained. Seconded by Cr. Parfitt. Cr. McLouhglin opposed the motion considering that time would be wasted. He did not think the revaluation would affect the matter very much. Cr. Madgwick suggested that the council approve of the principle and hold meetings of ratepayers to hear their view’s. '. ■ Cr.' Mayn favoured this, and explained some peculiar circumstances which made it imposible for him to •support the scheme at the present time. Cr. Madgwick moved as an amendment, and Cr. Harris seconded, that the council approve the principle of the proposals in the report and take steps to hold- meetings of ratepayers and obtain their opinions on the matter.. ‘ In reply to Cr. Hare the clerk said that when £l5OO had been received fbr work done on Wilson’s Road, and if the Public Works Department made one mile of the main highway on the stop-bank, the cost of the main roads to the Netherton riding would be re* duced to about 1.78<L Cr. Hare contended that the Nethertbn riding should be cut out of the ischeme. Members contended that no part of the county could be cut out. The matter of maintenance was of greater

importance than the cost of construction. Cr. Hayward said he would let his motion stand. If the matter was deferred for a time the amount of the subsidies for the Patetonga roads would be known. Cr. McLouhglin contended that the Government was holding up the fact that the O.R.P. settlers, had never made any attempt to help themselves to provide metalled roads. The setwent to the Government for everything. He was of the opinion that? , the council should put the scheme to the ratepayers to adopt or reject. The amendment was carried, Crs. Hayward, Hare, and Parfitt dissenting. On being put as the substantive motion all voted for it except Cr. Hare.