ROADING THE DISTRICT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 488, 3 August 1912, Page 5

ROADING THE DISTRICT.

THE COST OF CARTAGE. In speaking at the public meeting held last week at Pio Pio in connection with the metalling scheme for the main road, Mr G. Elliott gave some interesting figures bearing on the cost to the settlers of carting over bad roads. He said that during the past five months from January Ist to May 30th, there were 3449 tons carried by waggon from Te Kuiti to Pio Pio at a cost of £10,347. A voice: We must all be Carnegies). That was only the cost of haulage as far as Pio Pio where all the roads radiated. No one could estimate the exact cost of the goods before reaching the settlers' door. Under tha proposed metalling scheme these goods could have been carried at a fair profit to the carriers for the sum of £3750. Add to this the interest on the proposed loan, £2OOO, and it leaves a balance of £4597. This is the astonishing amount which the proposal would have saved the settler during the past five months had it been in operation. Apart from this the Public Works Department has paid out £ll per month to ten surfacemen, £llO, for temporary work in keeping the road open for traffic. If this Were capitalised it would pay interest on a loan '.tself. In the interest of our wives and families we must support the loan proposals. We have the issue in our hands.

Cr O'Dwyec's announcement that he would support the loan was received with loud applause.