METALLING THE MAIN ROAD.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 469, 29 May 1912, Page 4

METALLING THE MAIN ROAD.

To the Editor. Sir,--I noticed by your issue of the 22nd inst., that the Aria people propose calling a meeting to discuss the raising of a loan for the metalling of the Pio Pio-Aria road. This, of course, means breaking away from the big scheme which was meant to embody several loans, thereby reducing the cost uf flotation, etc. I would like therefore, at this stage to advise the Aria people not to take Tuesday's meeting of ratepayers at Pio Pio as anything of the feeling of the district re the Mj: f- Hi cine, as quite a number, know inthat there was not

sufficient information in before the ratepayers, did not attend, as there was no piuticular measure to'criticise. We noiice that, the Government have unloaded the first five miles of the main roan on to the county, and it is reasonable tit expect that they will unload the whole portion right onto I'io I'io whi-n once it is metalled. I think that most, people will admit it will take (iiUy ,£2OOO a year to maintain the main road from Pio Pio to To Kuiti with the present, and increasing trnHic, and the point is this Imagine th-j road in the hands of | the county. I understand the whol6 of die rates of the Waitomo County | Council oniv amount to XL! 11/5 aKVjar, I sen si' this amount it takes 5978*12S i iiiJ lo eever 11 os'pit.al Hoard, admit)is- ; [ration and e-hire expenses, leaving a | balance of oniy A-1 Ic.li 7s 7d to do ; emergence s with. You will notice : that (be Conucil holds a very weak : position. Tiie- above figures are the remit of a : : d rate in the £. Suppose (be county were to levy another fd I rate in (be V the result would be another Tdl i.\ "We would then be pay- ; ing l J ii in (he T, and still the amount available tor maintenance would noj (bing. like meet requirements over I I!a> wh.>!<> county. Therefore you will see ive have < vct-y ehance of being j thrown on (he council, and the COUH- • ci'ds position m impossible to meet the I demur,lis. We must face the question : ourselves. Personally, .1 would like j to see our lean raised on the following I lines: We will say that in addition to dm present money available it would cost .epuiH) to make the road from Pio Pio to To Kuiti a good road.; then let us ii n she various sums for the by roads, also the rates on these sans; (hen iet each by road pay a proportion of tiie interest on the £6OOO, i which would surely carry a £ for £ sub: idy reducing the amount to £3OOO. The main rend, then, from Pio Pio to Maiioeimi is a simple question, and (be ''ate could be born from Pio Pio to M adeem; i If. then, the whole amount with (he various sums allows,! o to he difiVren! roads with their respective utics fixed. could be covered in one 'onn at 'ess cost (ban in separate loans, then do sc. The advantage to be paimd v.-ilh good roads as against mud 1 inns! not dwell upon furiier than to say that, the advantages in favour of metal are bristling with points. in conclusion, I wiil just ft ay (bis: that the dry price to Pio Pio for cart,ing is 30s a ton. and mud r«>;ul A'..'? ;> ton. This year my carting' amounted to A'., r >(), half of which is buried in the mud, a dead tors to me. and no gain to the carter. K. PI VINGTSON. ' i'io Pio, fVtav path. P.Ul',