PUBLIC REQUIREMENTS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 573, 4 June 1913, Page 5

PUBLIC REQUIREMENTS.

The following letters have been received by Mr C. K. Wilson in reply to representations made by him concerning matters of importance to the district: —

ROTOKOTUKU ROAD

Sir,—-I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your lette? of 13th innt. urging that the expenditure of the vote of £2OO for the above. road should be authorised immeditely. In reply I have to advise you that the expenditure of this vote was offered to the Waitomo County Council, and a reply has been received i from the council intimating its will ingness to undertake the work. 1 have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, W. FRASER, Minister of Public Works. C. K. Wilson, Esq, M.P., Te Kuiti. MANGAKOKOPU AND POMORANGI ROADS. Sir. —I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 13th inst. forwarding petition signed by Mr M. J. Kinnane, of Moeatoa, and a number of other settlers resident in Kiritehere, Moeatoa, [Pomorangi, and Marakopa districts urging the immediate completion of the above roads.

In reply I have to advise you that on looking into the matter I find that in regard to Mangakokopu road a vote of £2OO was provided on last financial year's appropriations for this work, but the whole amount has already been expended. With regard to Pomorangi road, a vote of £2OO was provided on last financial year's appropriations, and this amount has already been fully authorised and expended. The Resident Road Engineer recently requisitioned for a further £SO to enable the widening to be continued towards section 2, block 1, Maungamangere S.D., and this amount was duly authorised. With regard to the settlers' representations as to the necessity of completing the widening of these two roads, I to advise you that I have carefully noted their petition, and shall be glad to give same my careful consideration when the Public WorkH Estimates are being compiled next session.—l have the honour to he, Sir, your obedient servant, W FRASER, Minister of Public Works. C. K. Wilson, Esq., M.P, Te Kuiti. MANGAPOHUE ROAD. Sir,—l have the honour to acknowledgn receipt of your letter of 13th inst. forwarding communication received by you from Mr W. Ellmers, of Kinohaku, in which protest is made against the Mangapohue road being widened to only 12ft, and urging that it should be made 14ft.

In reply I have to state that representations regarding this matter were recently made by the Kawhia County Council, and I enclose copy of reply sent to the county chairman. Compliance with the request made by the council and Mr Ellmers simply means that the completion of the widening of the road will be considerably delayed if it is made 14ft. I support the Resident Engineer in the opinion that he expresses, that it will be better to make the road 12ft wide to allow of vehicular traffic through at the earliest possible date, and then to subsequenty widen out to 14ft —I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, W. FRASER, Minister of Public Works.

C K. Wilson, Esq., M.P., Te Kutii. Sir, —Referring to your letter of 29th ultimo wherein protest was made against the proposal to widen Mangapohue road to 12ft., I have to state that the Resident Road Engineer's report on this matter has now been received. From the information furnished it appears that when the road was commenced some years ago the widening Was carried out to 16ft, and, for an intermediate period, 14ft. Recently, however, in order to make the funds available to carry the construction of the dray road as far as possible, the width was reduced to 12ft., and in the Resident Road Engineer's opinion this width should be adhered to for the present. He points out that is of much greater service to the settlers to have the widening to 12ft pushed ahead, and then, at a later date, when the 12ft road has been completed, to widen out to 12ft or more if necessary. Practically all other backblock roads are being made 12ft wide, and there appears to be no reason why the Mangapohue road should be treated exceptionally. If the widening is made to 14ft instead of 12ft, it will considerably delay the completion of the road, which, in the opinion of the Resident Road Engineer, is an urgent matter. In consideration of these circumstances and the opinion expressed by the Department's Engineer, the Minister regrets that he is unable to favourably entertain your council's application.—l have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, W. S. SHORT, Assistant Under-Secretary. The Chairman Kawhia County Council, Kawhia.