MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2589, 5 June 1923, Page 3

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

THE AWAHOU RIDING. EXPLANATION BY THE CHAIR- . MAN. Sir James Wilson, Chairman of the Manawatu County Council, writes as under: — I notice in a recent issue, of the Manawatu Herald that some remarks were made as to the condition of the roads in the neighbourhood of Foxton and the Awahou Riding generally and presumably Mr Barber, the Councillor, was blamed. I would therefore ask you to allow me to point out to the ratepayers and to those who use the roads (for the roads have many users who pay nothing towards their formation or up-keep) the great difficulties Ml' Barber has in so allocating the rates of the riding to deal .fairly witlv those who find the wherewithal for road and administrative purposes. FIRST THE BEACH ROAD. After much negotiation between those interested it was agreed that the County should borrow £1,250 to metal this road. The Harbour Road agreed to collect from the holders of sections at the Heads an annual sum towards the interest and Mr Barber pledged the rest of the riding as security for the balance. The position is as follows, last year: — ' Annual interest on loan £6B 18 10 Amount paid to County by Harbour Board 31 3 6

Balance paid by the Ratepayers of riding £29 15 4 Of this amount the amount paid by the Beach tenants was 5/9. In the last 10 years £609 8/4 interest and sinking fund has been paid for loan, of this amount £229 16/4 has been paid by Harbour Board (collected from tenants) and the balance £379 12/-, was paid by the ratepayers of the riding. The proportion paid by the Beach section holders was £6 9/10.

The unimproved value of the Beach sections upon which the rate of l|d is struck gives the County an annual gross revenue of £6 3/9, and from this the fixed charges (including Hospital levy and administration) about 50 per cent., have to be deducted.

The complainants as to the conditions of the Beach road must see how it was largely paid for and wholly maintained by the ratepayers of the Riding, who rarely use the road at all. In week days it is constantly used by Foxton tradespeople (and the Borough gives no contribution to the Toad) and on Sundays and holidays by thousands of people from the town and neighbouring districts who rush over the other roads of the County and leave the Council to “pay the piper.” WHIROIONO AND SHANNON ROADS. Were this Mr Barber’s only difficulty it might be got over: but his riding has the misfortune to deal with two difficulties, unique in the County, viz. (1) The WhirokinoFoxton road and (2) the Shannon Road and bridge .and the river embankment. The Whirokino Road is, enough in itself to make the heart of the Councillor and engineer quake, as much as it does itself when he attempts to keep it in order. Everyone in the district knows the cause of the difficulty. The road was built for local traffic which now that we have the through-traffic to deal with, the surface js simply cut through and the saturated soil on which it is based comes to the surface and the metal disappears. To put this road in order now would cost some £2,000. The amount Mr Barber has to spend (after deducting fhe fixed charges and liabilities) is "'a bout £9OO over the whole riding. This road is a veritable “Slough of Despond.” So much so that I have this day, (at the request of the Foxton Chamber of Commerce and under instructions from the Council) addressed a letter to the Minister for Public Works inviting him to the district to see for himself the necessity of

GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE for this road. It is recorded that when Warren Hastings was impeached for using his position for his own financial benefit, he said that with his opportunities he was astounded at his own moderation. Mr Barber on the other hand, when he sees what the ratepayers have contributed to the Beach Road for the benefit of the users might well exclaim he is astounded at their generosity.

Nor are these the only difficulties he has to contend against, though it is surely enough for any one Councillor, but he has another serious trouble at the Shannon bridge. Neither for the road, bridge, or embankment do the ratepayers of Foxton pay a penny. Seeing, however, where the complaints come from when the readjustment takes place, this may be somewhat altered. The bank of the river at the Shannon ferry and later at the bridge has given the Council great anxiety ever since I have been on the Council. The overflow of the river, at “Piggott’s” as it is spoken of, has been a source of clanger since'Mr Piggott used to control the ferry. He and his neighbours have lost much valuable land and as the road ran close to the river this overflow had to be stopped. A bank was erected and this the river very soon carried away. The road was put back and a new bank erected again and the same process had to be gone through else the settlers interested might have been drowned out and the Moutoa swamp returned to its original condition. Seeing the danger the other local bodies in-

teres ted were appealed to, but were not prepared to assist and Mr Barber, knowing the danger (Mr Upton’s house was in a direct line where the Manawatu would have gone -had the river gone over), agreed to the work going on at once and guaranteed to find the money until a loan could be got so urgent was the position. Fortunately the ratepayers agreed to a loan and this has enabled the Council to reerect the embankment and keep the road open. The whole question of protective works, the approaches and the bridge has to be re-opened and a meeting held at Shannon of the local bodies interested. Meanwhile although I have not spoken to Mr Barber on the subject, I felt it my duty to mention these facts and if the roads in the Awahou Riding are not as good as we could wish them, in fairness to Mr Barber I must say there has never in my time been a Councillor who has devoted so much time, thought and energy to the work of the Riding and he has done everything in his power to keep the roads in good order under the most difficult conditions.”