PAEROA – HIKUTAIA ROAD.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5385, 8 February 1929, Page 2

PAEROA - HIKUTAIA ROAD.

COUNCIL DISCUSSES CONDITION.

REPAIRS TO BE EFFECTED. At the Ohinemuri County Council meeting yesterday Cr. Robinson brought up the question of the Hikutaia road. He said the i',qad was starved, and in a very bad state. He understood that the engineer had difficulties to contend with last year owing to bad weather and shortage of trucks, but it was nc-w most essential that the whole of. the r.oad should be gone qver immediately. He had been in conversation with the engineer on the previous day about costs, but was not asking, the counc.il to authorise these, as this had already been done. The question was why had the engineer not carried oat his orders and done the work authorised'. No doubt there was a shortage of tt'/icks, and the paeroa-Te Aroha road might be mare important, but the condition of the Hikutaia road brooked no more delay. He suggested that the engineer be instructed to get a pr.ice and call for tenders so as to have the work done at onc.e. Mr Shaw stated that he would call tenders for the work. There was a gravel pit at Hikutaia, and the work would be put in hand straight away. Mr Johnstone insisted that there was a principle involved. The work had been authorised lang since, and he took it that the engineer should have done it when he was instructed to do so. The engineer should obey orders given to him by the council. The chairman thought that perhaps the engineer was givqn m«re instructions titan he could carry out. Cr. Robinson stated that contractors, with vehicles, were ready to tender.

Cr. Morris insisted that the work should go on at once. The road was in a very bad way. Th'e chairman, in agreeing said tenders would be called to be submitted in a week, and the work put in . hand forthwith.