RIVER DEVIATION SCHEME.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 663, 25 April 1914, Page 5

RIVER DEVIATION SCHEME.

THE PROfOSALS EXPLAINED

DISCUSSED AT PUBLIC MEETING.

The meeting convened by the Mayor on Thursday night for the purpose of explaining the details of the proposed river deviation scheme was fairly well attended. The report furnished to the Borough Council by Mr Metcalf, consulting engineer, was tabled and tho plan of the proposed work was exhibited for inspection. In opening the subject the Mayor aaid the deviation of the river was one of the thingß which had attracted the attention of tho first Council. Mr Spencer, who wa3 engineer at the time, suggested two schemes, but the estimate for the work at that time appeared jo much that th 9 Council decidud to proceed with other urgent and essential works and adopt a temporary scheme to save the situation for two or three years until the town was in a position to tackle the matter with confidence. The speaker suid the first point to consider was whether the work was necessary. The fact that tho previous Council had borrowed £I2OO for river deviation showed that it was considered necessary then, and the necessity was growing every day. The whole of tho property from the river to the railway including the road was the property of the Railway Department. The road was to be handed to the borough but this had not yet been done. In connection with tho deviation the previous Council had propounded no definite scheme and no steps had been taken to acquire necessary land. Consequently when the Works Committee inspected tho locality they recommended the scheme which had now been approved by the Council. As far as the engineering details were concerned the services of a thoroughly reliable engineer had been obtained, with the result that the plan exhibited, and report and estimates had been produced. The figures suhmitted ware: For deviation of stream, and road formation to the necessary level, £3100: bridge, £700; contigencieß and engineering £380; making a total of £4IBO. Allowing for the £I2OO already in hand this left £2980. To this amount had to be added tho probable coßt of taking tho land, and expenses This amount had originally been fixed at £IOOO, but in ordor to leave a margin they had placed £1552 on the loan proposal for this purpose. This made up the £4500 proponed to be borrowed. The question to bo asked in respect to all public works was whether the benefit to be derived was sufficient tu justify the experse. In considering that they had to remember that some scheme had to be adopted to deal with the situation. If a small scheme merely providing for safeguarding the road waa adopted there would be a fairly big expenditure with no chance of any revenue to offset the cost. In respect to the proposed scheme, within a year or two, there should be suflieient revenue from the land taken and reclaimed to meat the interest and sinking fund on tho money it was proposed to borrow. Estimates had been prepared by Messrs E. H. Hardy and J. R. G;aham as to the probable revenue to be obtained, and these estimates fixed the revenue at £3Ol 10s Der annum from the land which would be subdivided and leased by the borough. Ar against this the interest ar.d sinking fund on £4500 with the extra 10 per cent, which they were empowered to borrow, of £450, making a total of £4950. The interest at 5 n* cent-, would amount to £247 10s. Thu3 the estimated revenue would mora than cover tho interest on the proposed loan. In looking to the future they had to remember that this revenue Would be greatly increased and would be a great help to the borough in years to come, and help to lessen the burden of other important works in the progress of the town. To Kuiti had an immense future and this was one of the works which was going to redound to the credit of thosa who initiated and carried it through. The speaker also alluded to tha benefits to the business of the town by the expenditure of the money on local public works which served to assist in business jrosperity until the natural resources of the district had been thoroughly developed. A further point Wf a made by Mr Boddie of tho fact that thn scheme would link up two important arterial roads with tho town in the Rangitoto and Ahuroa roads, and givo greatly improved access to tho settlers who did business with Te Kuiti. In reply to Mr Langstone aa to whether the whole of tho filling required had been provided in the estimate by Mr Metcalf, Mr Boddie said _ ho was glad to be reminded on the point. He had meant to explain that Mr Metcalf told him only two days ago that a further £330 would be necessary for the filling referred to. However, there was more than sufficient margin in the loan proposals to allow for thin. With respect to the nino sections on the present water course, it would not bo necesßary to lease thorn immediately. It would bo three years before any rate in connection with tho loan need be struck. A considerable amount of filling would be done in that period with little or no cost. However, if deemed wise the thn sections could be disposed of immediately and buildinga erected on piles. Mr Mostyn Jones explained that he had always been opposed to the scheme. He had wished to ask tho engineer if the Waiteti road could not be served in any other way, but hia notice of motion to that effect in the Council had been overlooked and'the (mention had not been asked. In compiliii;: tho estimated amount which had to 'on mot the Mayor had omitted interest on tho £I2OO already borrowed, which would add .£OO to tho total, bringing the amount to £307 iOs. Thon, again, some of tho sections were not to be

available for a considerable time, and no revenue was to be derived from them. He thought the scheme was going to be costly and would add largely to the rates. He thought the schema had Deen ill-considered and hastily adopted.—Mr Buddie, in reply. suicl three things were essential: One was a good scheme; another, ability to avocate; and, thirdly, opposition. Mr Jones in this instance was the opposition. As to the matter of interost on the £I2OO that was already included on the rates. Mr Langstone asked if any provision had been made for continuing the Esplanade along the course of the deviation. —Mr Boddie said there had not, but where this was required it was not a big thing to do. Mr G. Elliott asked if provision had been made to prevent erosion at the porposed bridge. —Mr Boddie said that was for the engineer to sea to. He thought there had been provision made,Mr Metcalf,as the engineer who supervised the drainage installation had considerable experience with the material to be dealt with, and he would be lacking in engineering ability if he did not consider all points. Mr Mabbett asked if the estimated revenue was supposed to come from all the sections. Were the reclaimed unfilled sections included in the assessors' estimate and were the rentals based on the value of the sections when they had been reclaimed or otherwise. —Mr Boddie said that in view of the low rentals placed on the sections in question the assessors evidently valued them in thair unfinished state. They would be much more valuable when reclaimed. Mr Mabbett said,in view of the points which had been left unconsidered it seemed to him the scheme had been hastily adopted. Mr TrinneSr asked what amount of rates was contributed by the sections across the river, and was there any public demand for a bridge.—-Mr BodJie said he did not know the amount of rates and did not think it material. The Dridge would give access to two arterial roads leading to a diatiict upon which the future progress and progperity of the town would largely depend, and this waa, in his opinion, a more urgent demand than any other. Mr Cochrane asked if the Council was going to take advantage of the Betterment Bill in connection with the scheme. —Mr Boddie said any betterment that could be got out of the scheme would be claimed by the borough on behalf of thn ratepayers.

Mr Duncanson asked if the Railway Department waa going to contribute to the scheme. —Mr .Boddie 9aid the Railway Department was giving the land for the Waiteti road, which at present was rrilwav property. At the conclusion of (he meeting a vote of thanks to the Mayor for calling the meeting, proposed by Mr Mostyn Jones and seconded by Mr Crawford Boles, was carried by acclamation.