LOAN WORKS.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 241, 14 June 1928, Page 5

LOAN WORKS.

.frr “ - - POINTS ANSWERED. Interesting Discussion. Now that the loan works are well •under way, the consulting 1 engineer to the Putaruru Town Board, Mr. M. E. Fitzgerald, attended the board meeting last Monday with a view to elucidating any points which were not clear, and advising on matters generally in the same connection. Standing orders were suspended and proceedings were quite informal.

Mr. Yandle asked if any of the loan money was “ dead,” and not out at interest.

The clerk replied that there was none which could be so styled as only £2OOO had been picked up to date.

Mr. McDermott: Is it advisable to spend the loan money right up as we go ?

Mr. Fitzgerald: No, ten per cent is generally earmarked for odds and ends which are always required when a job is done. It may be a corner off here or a bit of extra metal at a turn there. You will find there is always some little improvement which can be effected. Had the town been bigger £30,000 might have been raised for these works. However, you could only raise what the town could afford, but it all tends towards an ultimate goal. Mr. McDermott: Wouldn’t it be illegal to transfer a surplus from one road to another.

No. Take Matamata. They raised what were 20 loans in one, and then found themselves tied up. What happened was the chairman brought down loan proposals setting a definite amount to each street, which were approved by the works committee, and later approved by minute by the .full board. In your case the position was foreseen and the amounts left open, hence your hands are not tied. In all probability the Audit Office will assist them to overcome their difficulty. Mr. McDermott: Do you think the contractor'is carrying on all right?

Yes; he is doing well, though up against a stiff proposition. Of course, mud is out of fashion now—(laughter) —but it is attributable to your anxiety to get on with the job. The Tain and wet weather will consolidate the work far better than any roller. I did think he would have had his lorries at work by now, but he put in a lew price banking on not getting his lorries up till there was a big job for them ready, and that is quite reasonable. However, the lorries will be starting next week. Mr. Barr Brown: Is it true that it has been decided to alter the kerbing in Duke street to timber.

The chairman: I know nothing of it Mr. Barr Brown: Well, I heard on good authority it is so. Mr. Fitzgerald (smilingly): It is “ good authority ” if you say it Is, but I know nothing of it, and the chairman says he doesn’t, and I am sure Mr. Carr doesn’t. (Laughter). Mr. Barr Brown (smiling and cryptically) : It was good authority, nevertheless. (More laughter). Mr. Neal: Shouldn’t the footpaths be raised in Carberry avenue ?

Mr. Fitzgerald: That is a technical question which I couldn’t answer offhand.

The chairman: During an inspection I asked Mr. Carr the same question. The trouble is to get the water away from Overdale road in the cheapest and best manner. Mr. Fitzgerald: You must remember Putaruru is an exceptionally bad town to drain. Buckland road is a whole problem in itself. Had you more money you would be able to do a lot of things in a better manner. Mr. Neal: Do you know anything of “ lay-cold ?”

For patching it has proved all right, but it is in the experimental stage and has not been used sufficiently long to bank on it. In many of these things American and other Interests are financing contractors to do jobs cieaply. For instance, cheap prices have recently been obtained for concrete but they are no criterion. The hot-mix bitumen as used on the Hutt road is a totally different mixture to that used on the roads here, and costs a lot more. Mr, Neal: Will Beca’s corner be cut down much?

It will be cut down, but as I have no definite figures in my head yet, I prefer not to talk about it. I am going to Wellington shortly, when I hope to get down to bedrock on various matters. I contemplate that early next soring a big contract can be 1 ‘ covering the Arapuni-Putaruru road, and the main streets of the town. We are waiting for the formal gazetting of the Arapuni-Putaruru road as a main highway.

Mr. McDermott: Which end will you start? I should say about three miles out, and then jump five miles, that is the usual procedure. We could start this end, but if we did your new road would be cut out with the heavy carting from the station. Mr. Barr Brown: Do you really think you will be able to start in the spring ? I sincerely hope so. One stumbling block is the shortage of metal. We can get any amount of poorer quality. but for bitumenising work a hard j clean chip is needed. Piako boasted , they got metal cheaper than Mata- j mata county, but that was because they accepted dirty stuff and up to 4in. .1 dumped that kind and charged the quarry with the cost. Owing to the difficulty of getting supplies of good metal the county are 10 miles behind in their reading programme. Mr. Barr Brown: That’s the reason for the delay, is it? Yes; we could get all we want if we were prepared to pay 6s per yard more. Local bodies have lost more money running quarries than anything else. At the conclusion of the discussion Mr. Fitzgerald was accorded a hearty vote of thanks fer his visit.