THE BEACH ROAD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 834, 3 May 1910, Page 3

THE BEACH ROAD.

DISCUSSED BY THE HARBOUR BOARD.

At last night’s meeting of the Harbour Board, the Beach Road came up for further discussion. A letter was received from Mr Holben, on behalf of the Board’s tenants at the Heads, asking what action is being taken iu reference to forming and metalling the road. The letter pointed out that there is a considerable amount of building to be done at the Heads before next December, viz., about 25 houses, and the road is at present very bad. It was further stated that the Council have always put a man on this section to put the road in repair, but this year nothing has been done. The writer said he was also instructed to ask the Board to grant a free site for the purpose of erecting a jetty somewhere in the vicinity of the pilot’s boat shed to enable people to land on the Beach from launches and and boats now used. A letter was also read from the Manawatu County Council re beach road stating that an area has not yet been set out as a special rating district for loan purposes. The valuation as shown on the roll of the Te Wharangi settlement is ,£267 and the rate struck is 17s gd. The overseer’s estimate for forming and metalling the road is ,£2OOO and the County is prepared to bear one-third of this amount. The Board Clerk submitted a comprehensive statement showing the valuations of the sections within the road area which disclosed a capital value of ,£11,380. A general rate of *£d would produce ,£23 10s qd and a special rate of id ,£47 os Bd. /cooobearing 3 x /z per cent would require ,£7O per annum and 4 per cent. ,£BO. This would leave an annual deficiency of about ,£l3 to be made up by the Board or other interested authorities. If the cost of the road was only ,£lso° the rates would be proportionately less. The Clerk pointed out that one property had been omitted iu the valuation.

The Chairman said the property owners had not been properly rated at the Heads and the 17s 6d returned was farcical. The County tried to shift the responsibility of this road on to some one else.

Mr Stiles was ot opinion that the Government should be approached for a subsidy lor the road. He agreed a fresh valuation should be made.

Mr Nash complimented the clerk on the valuations submitted. Mr Heuuessy proposed and Mr Stiles seconded and it was carried : “ That referring to the road to the Heads, the Manawatu County Council be requested to have a re-valuation of the Heads and surrounding lauds made at the earliest possible date.”

Moved by Mr Tolley, seconded by the Chairman: —“That Mr Holhen be informed that until a re-valuation of sections is made, and a special loan raised for road formation, nothing iurther can be done and that the Board will forward the matter to the best of their ability.”