FOOTPATH WANTED.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 275, 14 February 1929, Page 4

FOOTPATH WANTED.

PETITION TO BOARD.’* Statement Re Loan. A petition signed by 74 names was received by the Putaruru Town Board on Monday, stating the petitioners required a footpath from the Supply Stores to Hudson’s house. Several reasons were given and the petitioners stated that irrespective of any action contemplated by the Main Highways Board the matter was one of urgency and should be gone on With.

Speaking to the petition, Mr. A. E. Barr Brown urged that quite apart from what the Highways Board might do the board should construct some kind of a footpath even if only two or three feet wide. It was impossible for pedestrians to get past on certain portions with safety owing to the traffic, besides which people got splashed in wet weather. He challenged members of the board to go with him to a certain part and with two cars abreast they would find it impossible to get past. That would convince them that something should be done. The chairman remarked that there were 33 names on the petition which should not be there. A great many of the signatures on the petition were also on that against the loan. If the board decided to spend money from general account on work which would be covered in a few weeks by loan, they would lay themselves open to further such requests and charges of waste. The cutting by the Methodist Church was also a dangerous one, and ratepayers there had every right to make a similar request. Mr. A. E. Barr Brown replied that he felt sure the petitioners would be satisfied if the chairman would guarantee the work being done from loan in a few weeks. The chairman replied that no one could give such a guarantee. All he knew was that the contract let for the Arapuni road, which had to be finished by June, covered the town district. Plans for the town work were practically completed. Mr. Barr Brown stated he did not think the board should go by an engineer’s report, as they could see for themselves. It was for the board to say and no one knew apparently when the Highways Board would decide. The chairman stated that he haJ seen Mr. Hall Jones a few days ago, and that the Highways Board would be in the district next week. The board must take notice of its experts and it had to remember that a sum of about £5009 subsidy on their own money hung on the plans of the town. If work was started before the Highways Board said “ go ” the board was jeopardising its subsidy. Though he hoped work would be started within a few weeks it did not follow that the contractor would start at that spot. If members let a private contract they could not tell the contractor how he was to work and where. However, everything else being equal and subject to the agreement of the engineer and contractor, he was agreeable to making this footpath one of the first works if the board agreed. Mr. Tomalin: It is certainly a dangerous spot but I don’t see that we can do anything. Other members agreed with this view, and the board then decided that subject to the approval of the engineer and contractor, the footpath in question be made an urgent work under the loan.