THE BEACH ROAD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 870, 26 July 1910, Page 3

THE BEACH ROAD.

CONFERENCE OF DELEGATES.

definite proposals submitted BY MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

A conference of delegates from the local bodies interested in the formation of a road to the Foxton Beach, and from the sectionholders at the Heads, was held iu the Council Chamber yesterday afternoon. His Worship the Mayor (Mr G. H. Stiles) presided and there were present Crs, Gibbs, Robinson, Stewart, Speirs, and Adams (Foxton Borough Council), Messrs J. G. Wilson (chairman of the Manawatu County Council), W. E. Barber (representative of the Awahou Riding on the Manawatu County Council), P. J. Hennessy (chairman Foxton Harbour Board) and J. Mounsey and Holben representing the section holders at the Heads. The Chairman welcomed the delegates, and said the conference was arranged in order that the Manawatu County Council might submit definite proposals as to what they were prepared to do in the matter of constructing the road to the Beach and what proportion of the cost they considered should be borne by the other local bodies etc., interested. Everybody was agreed that the road was an absolute necessity, but the main question was who was to pay for it. The Foxton Borough Council was prepared to contribute up to a certain extent, and if the delegates from the Manawatu County Council would now submit definite proposals the Foxton Council would consider them at their next meeting. He then asked Mr Wilson to state what his Council was prepared to do.

Mr Wilson said the Manawatu County Council had always realised that it was a proper thing to have the road made, but they did not think they were justified in asking the ratepayers of the County to pay the whole cost. He did not now anticipate any trouble in coming to a satisfactory arrangement as to the allotment of the cost provided everybody treated each other fairly. Touching the question of security tor the loan required for the purpose, Mr Wilson said the Mayor of Foxton was quite right when he said the only security that could be offered was by the Manawatu County and the Foxton Borough Councils. What was asked by his Council was that each body should enter into half the security. The matter had been gone into fully by his Council and they were agreed that it was better to construct a really good road than an indifferent one. He estimated the cost of the road at between ,£2OOO and .£2300. The Manawatu County Council had asked the Public Works Department, through Mr Newman, for a subsidy of £7OO, and had received the usual reply—that the application would receive the careful consideration of the Government. If this subsidy were granted (though possibly it might not be) it would leave an amount of, say, £ISOO to be found by the local bodies. To provide interest and sinking fund on this loan an amount of roughly £75, would be required annually. The section holders at the Beach had signed a petition signifying their willingness to contribute up to 15s each per annutn for this work. These annual fees would make a total of about £45, but if only £75 was required to provide interest and sinking fund, he did not think it would be fair to charge the full fifteen shillings and would therefore put the amount to be paid by them at £3O. This would leave a balance of £45, which, his Council considered, should be shared, equally, by the Manawatu County and the Foxton Borough Councils. If they were unable to get the subsidy from the Government — and he considered it useless to wait for it—then the full amount would have to be borrowed, and the amount required annually for interest and sinking fund would be £llO. In that case he thought the tenants should be asked to pay the fifteen shillings equal to about £45, leaving a balance of £65 to be provided by the Manawatu County and Foxton Borough Council—£32 xos each. An agreement would have to be entered into between the sectionholders and the Harbour Board for the payment of 15s per annum, and between the Harbour Board and the Manawatu County Council for the handing over of the money so received. Cr Barber had informed them that the proposed road would be mainly used by residents of the Foxton borough and the section-holders themselves and that the majority of the ratepayers in his riding would derive practically no benefit at all from it. Mr Wilson said that if the Foxton Borough Council was agreeable to the proposal there would be no difficulty at all. Under the Public Works Act the procedure in a case of this kind was set out, which, briefly, was that the local body undertaking the work would have prepared plans and specifications, and an estimate of the cost of the work to be done and would give the other local body interested notice of the proportion of the cost it was proposed should be borne by each body. If an objection was raised the body purposing undertaking the work had the right to ask for a Commission, which would sit and apportion the amounts to be paid by each body, and a warrant would be issued by the Governor which would enable the local bodies to borrow the money without a poll of ratepayers- If an agreement was arrived at between the parties—as would be the case

if the Borough Council agreed to the County Council’s proposals—the proceedings would be the same except that it would not lie necessary to have a Commission set up. Everything in connection with the road was now plain sailing provided the Borough Council would do its share. The question of maintenance, he said, could be left in abeyance. Mr Wilson then gave an idea of the the class of road it was proposed to construct and also the route, which would be slightly different to the present one. He said also that it was better when borrowing money to get more than was required as it could be paid back without charge to the ratepayers, and the interest only charged on the sum spent, whereas if the amount required was insufficient for the purpose practically the whole of the procedure had to be gone through again.

Mr W. E. Barber said that when he received the invitation from the Foxton Borough Council to attend the meeting to discuss this question he thought it would be better to also have Mr Wilson present, and had therefore asked him to attend. He endorsed all Mr Wilson had said. It now laid with the Foxton Borough Council to say what it was prepared to do. Mr Holben said he understood that the Harbour Board was willing to assist. Mr Wilson said that as far as the Harbour Board was concerned it could not afford to contribute. It had nothing to gain, and he would oppose paying anything. The Foxton Borough would benefit. The section-holders at the beach would be doublerated, as, in addition to the amount they had signified their willingness to contribute, they would also have to pay a general rate to the County, However, even if they were called upon to pay £1 per year, he did not think it was out of the way for a good road.

Mr Hennessy said the Harbour Board as a whole would be only too pleased to pay its quota, but it was questionable whether it could legally do so. He said that he considered all future leases should also carry the loading up to 15s, thereby lightening the burden on the present ones. The construction of the road would greatly enhance the value of the land in the immediate vicinity. The Borough Council had partly committed itself to contribute £2O per annum and in order to make up the £32 los as set out by Mr Wilson he felt sure the Harbour Board would “come to light" with the other £l2 los provided they could do so legally. The Board would derive a certain benefit and were quite willing to assist if it could possibly do it.

Mr Stiles said he had got an opinion from the Board’s solicitor on the point and provided the road passed through portion of the Board’s property it was empowered to raise money required up to 50 per cent, of the cost. Portion of the proposed road would pass portion of the Board’s property and he said that would be the only way the Board could help. Mr Wilson said there would be great difficulty in raising a loan under those circumstances as the Board had absolutely no security to offer.

Mr Hennessy pointed out that if the present Board could make the grant it would certainly do so. Mr Speirs said that he considered £32 ros per annum was beyond the Foxton Borough Council’s means and was more than the Council would care to give. He thought the Harbour Board should pay half. If this was done he thought the Borough Council would pay the other half, but about £ls would be their limit. The road would enhance the value of the property at the Heads and consequently the rates received by the Manawatu County Council would be increased. Foxton’s proportion would on the other hand be a fixed sum, and it would not receive any benefit from the increase in rates. There should be some provision for reduction. He also pointed out that the Foxton Borough Council had already formed and metalled portion of the road.

Mr Holben expressed surprise at the attitude taken up by Mr Speirs. If he would look at the question fair and square he would see that Foxton was going to derive the most benefit. The Manawatu County Council which would receive practically no benefit had made a very generous offer and he considered Foxton would be standing in its own light if it did not agree to contribute the amount asked for. Mr Mounsey thanked Mr Wilson for placing the matter before them so fully and expressed the hope that the Foxton Borough Council would join with the Manawatu County Council and the lessees and have the work carried out.

Mr Hennessy said that if the harbour could not contribute one way they would find another way to do so. They could make all the leases still to be sold, subject to the loading of 15s per annum. Speaking as a Foxton ratepayer, he said he did not want the matter to go before a Commission, because they mightn’t get off as lightly as they were trying to at preesent. Mr Stewart said that the lessees and the Manawatu County Council had shown that they were anxious to have the road constructed and personally he did not think there would be any difficulty of a mutual agreement between the B >rough Council and Harbour Board for the payment of the balance required. Dr. Adams thanked Mr Wilson

for laying definite proposals before the meeting. The question had been repeatedly discussed at the Council table and the majority of the Councillors appeared favourable to contributing towards the cost. For his pait he would favour paying even up to the amount suggested by Mr Wilson, necessary.

Mr Stiles said he could not speak for his Council but it depended a good deal on what the Harbour Board could do. Personally, he thought was a little too high and considered would be a fair proportion. Foxton would certainly derive a benefit from such road but the tenants at the Beach would be more directly benefitted and the Harbour Board would also receive a benefit. However, the whole matter would be placed before the Council at its next meeting. In reference to the upkeep of the road, he thought something definite in this connection should be fixed. The general rates in the future would practically cover the cost of maintenance and he therefore did not think Foxton should be asked to pay any part of it.

Mr Wilson said Mr Barber was willing that the whole of the upkeep should be borne by the Awahou Riding.

Mr Wilson then thanked the Chairman for giving him the opportunity of placing the whole matter before the public. He thought, however, that Mr Speirs was taking up rather an unreasonable attitude when he said that he considered that the maximum amount Foxton should be asked to pay would be per annum. He thought it would be better if they would agree to the proposal at once and not delay the matter any longer. In any case the procedure to be gone through would take some time, and if the Foxton Council would agree to the proposal it would save a great deal of unnecessary delay. Mr Speirs said that in expressing the opinion he did, he was going on the expressions of opinion passed at the Council table.

This concluded the discussion, and the meeting terminated after passing the usual vote of thanks to the chair.

DISCUSSED BY HARBOUR BOARD. WHAT IS THE LEGAL POSITION ? At last night’s Harbour Board meeting the question was brought up by the Chairman, who briefly outlined what had been done at the meeting in the afternoon. Mr Stiles stated that he had interviewed Mr Moore, solicitor, on the point, and his opinion was as stated by the speaker at the conference held during the afternoon.

Mr Wilson said that if the Board could not contribute from their funds towards the cost of the road, then it was questionable if they could pay the amount received from the tenants back to the Manawatu County Council after it had once been placed to the Board’s credit. To avoid any difficulty on this point he suggested that the meney so received should be kept seperate as a trust account. Mr Hennessy said that it was clear that a Harbour Board could raise money for the construction of a road passing through its property, and a portion of the proposed road would pass through the Board's endowments. Mr Nash said that it was an urgent matter and they were all agreed that if an annual grant could be legally made, that the Board would do so, and he therefore moved that the matter be left in the hands of the Chairman and Mr Stiles, to act on behalf of the Board, and subject to the approval of the solicitor as to its legality to enter into an agreement to contribute up to £l2 los per annum towards the cost of the road. The motion was seconded by Mr Wood and carried.