METALLING THE ROADS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 481, 10 July 1912, Page 5

METALLING THE ROADS.

OTOROHANGA-KIO KIO SCHEME. MEETING OF SETTLERS. A well attended meeting of ratepayers in the proposed special rating area at Kio Kio was held on Saturday last. Mr Willis was voted to the chair. Mr Scholes, county chairman, and Mr R. Gregg, councillor for Otorohanga riding, were present, and Mr Scholes outlined a proposal and advocated a special rating area to include considerably more country than had originally been intended by the settlers. He pointed out that in the small scheme it would be impossible to bring into the area all those who would be using the road, and further small schemes would be necessary in a short time to make ths metal of any benefit to the district in general. The principle of special loans for special areas was a splendid one, but it meant the inclusion of the whole area affected by the work. In any case the district badly needed metalling and it was better and cheaper to do it in decent sized blocks than by raising separate loans for every little bit of metalling that was required. The same process had .to begone through every time and the preliminery /wst of these loans was fairly large. Cr Gregg supported the chairman's remarks and advocated the loan in one large gating area. Mr Budge moved and Mr Wallace seconded that this meeting n! ratepayers approve of the area set out by the county clerk and authorise the County Council to proceed with the raising of a loan for metalling the district as follows: —Otorohanga to junction, 4 miles; junction to station, 2 miles; Puketarata road No. 2, lj miles; road towards Kio Kio, 2 miles; Maraeohine road, 1 mile. The chairman, Mr Willis moved as an amendment that the money be formed in two loans, but owing to no one seconding, the amendment lapsed.

The motion was then put and carried unanimously on the understanding that a subsidy of £4200 be granted by the Government. In the event of the subsidy not being available, fresh arrangements to be made.

It was proposed and seconded that the thirds in special rating area be hypothecated, for the purpose of paying interest on loans. Mr Budge kindly consented to take the requisition lists round the district for signatures. Mr Scholes dwelt at some length on the present unsettled state of the money market, and pointed out that although the ratepayers were agreeable to raise the present loan, there was quite a possibility of the Govern-

ment not being in a position to lend the County Council any more money under the present conditions. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr Scholes for his attendance and for the valuable information he gave the meeting, and to the county clerk for the amount of work he put in in connection with this loan.

Mr Rodgers kindly entertained the representatives of the County Council and press at afternoon tea after the meeting, and drove them back to meet the afternoon train for home.