OPOTIKI BOROUGH COUNCIL

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 167, 5 April 1939, Page 2

OPOTIKI BOROUGH COUNCIL

LOAN PROPOSAL DISCUSSED STREET IMPROVEMENTS LOANS BOARD TO BE APPROACHED The meeting of tliie. Opotiki Borough Council wlncn was» adjourned tne previous week, was continued J’ast. uiglit‘'.when proposals for the suggested’. loan off£lo,ooo for street improvements were discussed. Those present were: the Mayor (Mr. G. S. Moody), Councillors',h". IV. Bridger. S.. E. Webb. A. G. Stevenson, G, 1.. Day and F. J. Short. The.town, clerk. (Mr. Briggs) was also in attendance. .Ths If'Mayor opened proceedings by asking'for expressions of opinion on. the loan proposal. Cr; 'Stevenson asked if the cost was less than originally 'estimated, and in reply the town clerk said iL was slightly more. Mr. Briggs added that the price was less . than the cost of similar highway work in the Rotorua district. Or. Stevenson asked if the 1311 scheme was still in. operation and Air. Briggs replied that the men were still available but as they went off they could not be replaced. Cr. Webb thought it would lie best to get the whole of; the work dene by tender. •Or. Short asked if the river erosion scheme was included in the proposal. Mr.; Briggs replied to the effect that the council would probably lie able to secure the money for river erosion without going to th.e ratepayer;-! The term of. the loan was discussed at sonic length and several councillors thought they should go for a long period. , Cr. Short said that if the loan proposal were turned down by the ratepayers and the ratepayers still agitated for better facilities, then the rate would have to be raised. Several councillors supported Cr. Webb’s suggestion that contract work would be better than day labour. ' Or. Stevenson moved that the estimate of the loan as drawn up by. the town clerk he submitted to the Loans Board. Seconded by Cr. Bridger and carried unanimously. It was decided to apply for the loan for a period of 30 years. Speed of Motor Traffic. Cr. Short referred to the question of the speed of motor traffic in-Fon! 1 Street during the period of‘highway work; in Church and Bridge Streets. Councillors supported the suggestion that speed should be restricted, chiefly owing to the dust nuisance. , It was considered that the speed of motor traffic in the whole borough should.be restricted to 20 m.p.h. Cr. (Short moved that the speed of motor traffic in Ford! Street be restricted to 20 m.p.h.. while, BridgeStreet was.being attended to. Seconded by Cr. Webb and carried.

C!r. "Webb considered' the council would have to classify the roads as tlier© was too much overloading. and the roads would not stand up to theweights.