PEKAPEKA ROAD WORK.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5152, 15 July 1927, Page 3

PEKAPEKA ROAD WORK.

FINANCING THE UNDERTAKING. DECISIONS OF COUNCIL. Progress in connection with the metalling of the Pekapeka %nd Wait an roads, Kerepeehi riding, was made at .yesterday’s meeting of the ’Hauraki Pla'ins County Council PEKAPEKA ROAD METALLINGi The representative of the No. 2 District Highways Council on tihe Main Highways Board (Mr L. B. Campbell, Public Works engineer, Auckland), wrote advising that the question of proceeding with the metalling of 200 chains of. Pekapeka Road was discussed at a recent meeting of the Main Highways Board. It was Agreed to allow the- council to proceed on condition that the Highways Board would not be called upon for any contribution towards the cost of the work during the current financial year. Moreover, , the board could not give any guarantee that the commitment would be met next yeia.r, but it would pay its share of the cost when it found itself in a position to do so..

With regard to the use of. red metal it waS understood that a satisfactory arrangement was to be arrived at between the council ijnd the company supplying the metal, and such agreement should be approved by the Main Highways Board before its final adoption. It was pointed out that the estimate even for the red metal was heavy, and was equivalent to over 6s a square yard of surfaced road. Subject to the contents of this letter the proposals were approved. The following statement was submitted by the clerk :— “Netherton Roads Loan, Pekapeka Road, 40 chains: Balance, £43 ; metal on hand, £357 ; Main Highways Board subsidy, £439 ; total, £839. Engineer’s estimate, £lOOO.

“Kerepeehi Roads Loan, PekapekaWairau Roods, 200 chains: Engineer’s estimate approved by Main Highways Board, £5931, plus brokerage and sundry, £34 10, £596'5 10S; subsidy from Ma’in Highways Board, £2965 10s ; sale of debentures!, £3OOO.

“The Main Highways Board’s share of the cost will not be available until next year, or possibly the year after. This amount, which will be required to complete the work, can be provided for by : (a) Hypothecation of balance of debentures ; (b) advance from General Account; (c) postponing payment to McCallum Bros, for metal. Formation and grading, cartage of metal, and rolling, amounting in all to £2412, will have to be paid, leaving cash available for metal £5BB out o£ a total of £3518 payable. Payment of the balance, approximately £3OOO, might be arranged for at a later date by allowing a slightly increased price for the metal.”

Councillors commented on the action of the Main Highways Board. tin reply to Cr. Madgwick the chairman stated that the estimate for the blue metal was £7OOO odd, and for the red - metal it was £5OOO odd. The Highways Board had'agreed to accept red metal, subject to the agreement aS to maintenance offered' 7 by McCallum Bros.

Cr. Madgwick voiced a protest against the use of red metal for tfie bottom course, contending that ;it w.puld eventually be cheaper to use the more expensive stone.

■Other councillors quoted instances where all red me'tal roads standing up, as well as roads built with a bottom course of blue metal, and oh condition Messrs'. McCallum Bros, gave an undertaking in a proper manner to maintain the road for three years if it proved less stable than a. blue metal road, they were favourable to saving the £2OOO. A motion to that effect was, carried, Cr. Madgwick voting against it.

It was decided that McCallum Bros, be asked to submit a sample. of 'red metal, and that the firm be kept up to that quality. After discussing methods of financing the work until the receipt of the subsidy, it was decided to authorise the clerk to proceed to raise that part of the loan which the council agreed not to exceed, and also that he be given authority to hypothecate the balance of the debentures for the remainder of the expenditure. The engineer was instructed to prepare tho guarantee with Messrs McCallum Bros, and get the approval of tho Highways Board.