MAIN ROAD MAINTENANCE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 561, 23 April 1913, Page 5

MAIN ROAD MAINTENANCE.

A HEAVY EXPENDITURE. GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY URGED. It has long been recognised that the work of maintaining the Te KuitiMokau road would be a costly undertaking, and that special provision would be required in order to accom Dlish the work satisfactorily. It is claimed by many that the responsibility for main roads should be retained by the Government and this view was advocated by Cr O'Dwyer in referring to the road in question at Monday night's meeting of the County Council. Cr O'Dwyer said he thought the time had arrived when the council should take a stand with respect to the road. If the two ridings affected directly were called upon to maintain the road it would bankrupt them. He thought an effort should be made to induce the Government to maintain the road. The Prime Minister was coming to the district, and the speaker and Cr Berry intended interviewing Mr Massey on the subject. He suggested that the chairman should also make representations to the Prime Minister. He moved the following motion:—"That in the opinion of this council the maintenance of the Te Kuiti-Awakino main arterial road if thrown over on this county to maintain, will be a distinct hardship and the burden imposed on the ratepayers will be such that they cannot possibly bear, as the said road will in the opinion of the county engineer require £7OO per annum to be expended on it for its upkeep, which is altogether beyond the means of the local settlers to provide, there-! fore thia council respectfully ask the Government to take over this road from the council."

Cr Berry supported Cr O'Dwyer's remarks.' The amount of rates from theT e Kuiti riding only amounted to £350, and if the cost of maintenance was thrown on the ratepayers the burden would be insupportable. The chairman Baid an important feature was that the road was not being handed over in good repair. If the Government consented to take over the road, a very difficult problem would be solved. Cr Smyth said the question opened up the desirability of a railway. The amount of traffic on the road was enormous and was too great to be carried by any road. If the Government did not take over the road he was of opinion a light railway would be necessarv.