THE ROADING QUESTION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 433, 24 January 1912, Page 4

THE ROADING QUESTION.

A striking feature of the speeches at the dairy factory dinner on Monday evening was the manner in which the roading requirements were emphasised by the various speakers. In referring to the subject Mr A. Scholes, County Chairman, said the County Council had a great work in front of it. The people all round were awakening to a sense of their responsibilities and with assistance from the Government large sums of money were being raised for metalling pjrposes. The difficulty with which they were confronted now was the procuring of the necessary labour to carry out the many important works which were projected. Contracts were coming out which would necessitate the employing of from five hundred to a thousand men, and he was doubtful if the men could be procured. Another point was that with such a large number of contracts it was likely the competition for the jobs would not be keen and prices would have to be high in consequence, otherwise the work could not be carried through. The council had not been troubled greatly in this respect hitherto, but undoubtedly there were difficulties ahead and it would be foolish to shut their eyes to the fact. In the oast the difficulty had been to obtain Whe necessary money. Now, when the money wmb provided, they were up against the labour difficulty. He thoroughly appreciated the urgency for good permanent roads in the district and the council was doing its very utmost to provide them.