Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, MAY 27, 1898. The Road to the Beach.

Manawatu Herald, 27 May 1893, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, MAY 27, 1898. The Road to the Beach.

♦ In most places, owing to the inaccessibility of metal pits and the state of the roads, all road formation j is now quiet in the district still' I ' there are places which need improy^j ■ ing and which could be better done now than at any time. One of the. most popular resorts of the town's, people is our sea beach, but the road to it is anything but as it should be. The greater length of this road lies in the County and it is to them that we have to look fbi*' assistance. The financial position of the Riding is excellent, and orlfi' of the largest ■ ratepayers' would approve of an outlay in this manner. The road needs a little formation and then gravel put over it, and the expenditure need not be so large a^ it mi 'lit at first sight appear. The County boundary is close to Mr J. H. Robinson's residence, and the road for a considerable distance runs through a grass paddock, this track would need rounding up, and similar work has been done at three shillings, and sixpence.., a chain.(, The gravel would appeal to be the* most troublesome matter to deal with, but not. so much so when looked into. pWe believe that if the railway authorities, were communicated with, they would be open to make special arrangements for supply of metal and would discharge it at the Lady's Mile. Why a concession should be made seems to us so simple, as every fortnight a large number of trucksjare collected along the line and brought down empty to convey the coal discharged at the wharf, up the line, so that it would be a paying^arrangement a iou the railway to haul loaded %'utjkfo of gravel, to hauling them empty. Some people are ready .tp t declare 1 this is just what the Commissioners i like to do. For our own part we i do not think so, we thoroughly r believe that the railways have ,been ' more satisfactorily worked since they came under the Commissioners

control, anil *a believe that . they s uve only too anxious to take advantage of any opening to earn money, It would, of coarse, have to be so arranged that gravel would j only be delivered as the railway ; foiled it convenient to deliver it. | If gravel could be obtained, dis- . ohargfid-afr^he Lady!s--Milet»a>4hi'ee v shillings a yard, which we think it ■ Could be, 'awl the usual quantity of. eleven yards to a chain were spread, ' •the whole cost of ' formation; gravel--and carting would be some two huiulrtd and fifty-six pounds a mile. Half a mile, say- one hundred and twenty pounds outlay now, would boa most acceptable ; improvement, and would be the commencement of a worly which could be continued year 'by : year at this season. If the County would move in the matter we believe the Borough would be willing to obtain some gravel in the same manner. Mr TV Ayiigon,, the Councillor for the Biding has been most energetic in looking after its wants, but has kept a ' -long ' eye on the Motoa road. We are with him entirely in pushing on this connection with Shannon, but as he has' the double rate of County and ' Separate district to work upon, this . I'oad, , the main and only one to' the beach, is entitled to consideration, and we believe lie will acknowledge the justice of its claim. On behalf of the townspeople we can unhesitatingly say that they will heartily acclaim any action in this direction, and we believe the two largest ratepayers in that portion of the Biding ; would be with them. We; ■ hope then that Mr Wilson will initiate a correspondence with the railway authorities on this subject so that at the meeting of the Council he will be armed, to make certain proposals.