The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, February 10, 1916. FOOTPATHS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1508, 10 February 1916, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, February 10, 1916. FOOTPATHS.

Portions of the more thickly populated streets of the borough are in need of properly constructed footpaths. The Council, out of ordinary revenue, cannot accomplish much in this connection, after providing for road maintenance and other necessary expenditure. During the past two or three years the Council has kerbed and formed certain foothpaths and completed footways in other localities. Whether the work undertaken has been in the most needed thoroughfares is an open question. The policy of forming footpaths without completing them is, however, false economy and should be stopped. Better to do a little at a time and finish it. It should be remembered by residents that the construction of footpaths constitutes new work and ia order to make a complete job of the whole borough would require the raising of a special loan. The borough is rated quite heavily enough at present and complaint is made that we pay too dearly for the benefits and services we receive—so that a loan for footpaths would receive short shritt. Under the circumstances, residents must be satisfied with the present rate of progress in respect to footpaths. The fact remains that footpaths should only be constructed in the most needed localities first. It has been urged, and with a good deal of reason, that the borough funds are not husbanded as carefully as they should be and a little more economy would provide funds for better street maintenance and footpaths. The Council would do well to more carefully scrutinise the expenditure side of the ledger. Probably the question of footpaths will be discussed at Monday’s meeting when the policy of the Council in this connection will be more clearly defined.