TOREHAPE ROADING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5164, 12 August 1927, Page 2

TOREHAPE ROADING.

SETTLERS DESIRE LOAN. DEPUTATION TO COUNCIL. A deputation comprising Messrs A. B. McDonald, E. Harris, D. Cowdrey, and S. H. Ande.rson, settlers of Torehape district, waited upon the Hauraki Plains County Council yesterday with a scheme for the metalling of the roads in their district. Mr Harris spoke of a very enthusiastic public meeting, at which it was decided to undertake a. loan for the metalling of the road from the Mahuta corner to the southern end of the Ngatea riding. It pointed out that very large quantities of gravel were available in all the hill streams. In the rating area defined there were 24 settlers, and“ 23 of them had signed the petition. Tihe Minister of Public Works, when in the district, had given an indication that a £2 to £1 subsidy would be available, and the settlers, desired the council to assist them to its utmost. There were- 4% ijriles of road to be metalled, and the settlers estimated the cost at about £l5OO.

In reply to a councillor Mr Harris said that even if the cost was twice as high as estimated the settlers would still be keen to go ahead. Councillors pointed out that the road would be che-ap at twice the estimated cost.

In reply to the chairman Mr Harris stated that the settlers concerned were willing to give the metfll on their properties free of royalties. The chairman mentioned that the Lands Department wanted 2s 6d a yard for the grave-1 it had had removed from the drain.

Mr Cowdrey mentioned that tiie metal was- accumulating so rapidly that it was actually slipping back into the drains. The Lands Department would soon have to remove the gravel to enable more to be taken out of the drain, and it should welcome the offer of the council to remove the grave-1 now on the bank. The clerk reported that the valuation of the land in the proposed rating area was £22,750, and the interes t and sinking fund on the loan of £750 would be about %d in the £. However, the Local Bodies Loans Board would probably require a much higher rate of sinking fund than in the past. The chairman stated that the procedure necessary would make it difficult to have the work undertaken 'ne-xt summer. Then the settlers desired the council to obtain a £2 for £1 subsidy. This was a big undertaking, and there was no knowing when finality would be-reached. Another aspect which the council had to take into account was the cost of the work, for supposing there was insufficient metal or too sanguine an estimate by the settler-', the council would be blamed if it gave the settlers encouragement at the present time, in view of the lack of definite information. On the motion of the chairman the engineer was authorised to confer with the settlers in regard to the details of the scheme- and to apply for the subsidy, and the clerk was authorised to advertise the council’s intention of applying to the Local Bodies Loans Board for permissin to proceed. The engineer was also instructed to approach the Lands Department in regal'd to securing the metal from the Torehape roadside.