MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3930, 13 April 1929, Page 3

MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD

BRIEF VISIT TO FOXTON YESTERDAY. BOROUGH COUNCIL’S REQUESTS. Members of the Main Highways Board and others passed through Foxton yesterday en route to Wanganui on an inspection of the main highways. The Board members were Messrs C. J. McKenzie (acting chairman), J. J. Gibson, .C. J. Talbot, M. H. Wynyard, J. Wood, A. Tyndall, and W. A. Sutherland (secretary). .Mr Fuikert (Chairman) was iinable to he present. On their arrival at Foxton, the Board Was met by the Mayor (Mr M. E. Perreau), Crs. R. J. Thompson and R. Rangiheuea and Mr Wm. TruCmlan (Town Clerk), Messrs W. E. Barber (Chairman), A. K. Drew (Cleric), and H. V. Bond (Engineer) of the Manaiwatu County Council. Luncheon was partaken of at Whyte’s Hotel, where Or. Thompson, in the absence of the Mayor, welcomed the visitors and Mr Trueman explained one or two matters which the local Council wished to bring before the Board. Mr Trueman said that he Was pleased Of the opportunity of placing the Council’s requests before the Board. They were possibly minor matters to the Board, but were of considerable moment to Foxton. All the highways in the borough were now tar sealed with the exception of those portions adjoining the Manawatu County, which could be termed boundary roads. The Highways Board had hitherto, subsidised the Work carried out on the roads which are now sealed at the rate which they paid the adjoining County .Council, but last year it was decided that these borough roads were Main Highways and automatically the payment made by the Main Highways Board, to the Borough of Foxton was reduced to the actual cost of maintenance, practically a negligible aniount, and alt the same time, the Board had refused to contribute towards the interest payments in respect to such capital expenditure. The Council desired that the Board should itself provide Foxton’s share of the reconstruction of these borough highways. Mr Truem'an pointed out that the population of Foxton was in the vicinity of 1,600 while the public debt was £68,000, the rates working buit at 1/-J last year. The rate last year was struck to raise £5,000 but £1,200 was as yet outstanding. There was also a .possibility of a Harbour rate being struck in the near future which would mean a further increase in the rates. A. loan for the future reconstruction of highways would make the burden on the local ratepayers unbearable and the assistance of the Board was requested in connection with the matters advanced.

The Mayor, who had arrived hack at the conference,at this stage, supported Mr Trueman. Board members asked several questions and intimated that their decision in connection with the requests would be forthcoming at an early date.