OUR DISTRICT ROADS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 43, 12 November 1912, Page 4

OUR DISTRICT ROADS.

Government Grants and Subsidies. Can Road Boards Raise the Money? Franklin County Council Suggests Help. In the Public Wrrks Estimates, recertly presenteJ to the House, a number of giants anri subsidies were included for within the Frarklin County. These were:— £ Great South-road, Drury t~> Rangairiri, £1 for£2, on account of £SOO ... .• .» 1«0 Aka Aka Swamp road to Pukekohe,£lfor£l ... ... 300 Aka Aka to Waiuku ... ... 150 Awhitu Wharf to Awhiti Central, £for£. ... ... .- 50 Awhitu Wharf to Morrison's, via Orua Bay, £1 for £1 ... 100 Beach-road, £1 for £1... ... 150 Bombay to Paparata ... ... 150 Crea:nery br'dge, £1 for £1 ...\ 150 Creamery-road, £1 for £1 ... 50 Eastern drain extension to Waikato River, £250 at £1 for £2 ... 300 Hunua to Papariumu, £1 for £1... 1 ! 0 Hunua to railway station, £1 for £1 ... ... ... 500 Kauri CI amp-road, £1 for £1 ... 50 Mangatangi to Miranda ... 200 Opaheke main road, £1 for £1 ... 50 Otaua to Aka Aka, £1 fcr £1 ... 400 Otaua toMaioro, £1 for £2 ... G'JO Otaua Parish, sections 6 and 94 ... 50 Paerata rai'.way s'ation to DruryWaiuku road, £1 for £1 ... 100 Packington to man road, £1 for £1 500 Patumahoe to Drury. via Woodhouse Hill ... ... 150 Paiumahoe to Wai-iu... ... 50 Patumahoe to Waiuku-Drury road 150 Price and Ararimu deviation ... 200 Pukekohe East to Drury ... 200 Rama Rama, £1 for £1 ... 100 Saltwater Creek bridge (Waiuku) 500 Turangaruru to Waipipi main road, £1 for £2 ... ... 500 Waipipi to Kohe Kobe Top road, £2for£l... ... .... 100 Waiuku to Awhitu ... ... 275 Waiuku to Drury, £1 for £1 ... 150 Woodhouse Hill to Waiuku-Drury road ... ... ... 125 Mercer punt and approach ... 100 Coronation-road ... ... 100 Church-road ... ... 100 Otau-Hunua ... ... 150 Deed's Creek bridge, €1 for £1 ... 50 Kawakawa Bay to Huarabi stream 200 Tuakau railway station to Tuakau bridge, £1 for £1 ... ... 100 Whangarata to Waikato River, £1 for£l ... . ... 100 Buckland road, £1 for £1 ... 50 The question aa to whether these subsidies could be availed of by the local bodies was the subject of an inteiesting discussion at Thursday's meeting of the Fianklin County Ccuacil. Cr Campbell pointed out that the;e was a £SOO subsidy offered on the road from Hunua to Papakura railway station, and a-other small grant in the same district. H« was not thoroughly conversant with thi financial position of the Hunua Rrad Board, but it wsd a matter of vitt 1 importance that the Head Hoard should take up this Government grant. It was of great future importance to the Courcil if th.y could devise some way whereby the Board could take advantage of the grant, as it woub make the rates lighter next year. He asked the Council to consider hdw they could help the different local bulies to take advantage of these grants and to get the money ; pcnt on the roac's a3 soon as r-ossibl:. Ha und.rr.tood that all Hunua's rr.orey was hypothecated, and to lo e the grants was a matter of the mo:.t serious con equence to all the local bodies. He asked for suggestions as to the best way to handle the subj ct. Cr Flanagan said that Cr Camabell had raised a very difficult pit. If thev did anything for Hur.ua ihey would have to r'o it for ali the other districts. Cr Campbell protested that he was not urging it fcr Hunua alone, but for every other road district thnt was in the same, unfortunate position as Hunua. Of course, the Council wculd have to treat thei?i ill alike. Cr Flanagan said he riid not see that thj Council could use its funds for lending to the Road Boards ions to enable them to claim the subsidies. There was a £IOO subsidy for the Bombay to Paparata roa H , and he daresay the Board was in a position >o acquire the subsidy. The chairman, Mr Motion, said there was £IOOO for his division, and he had asked fur a straight out grant. Did they think there was any chance of having straight-out grants made instead of the subsidies'.' Cr Wile x said the difficulty in the way was that the Hduse was not now sitting, and as the Estimates had been passed there appeared no possibility of getting straight-out grants now. Cr Henry asked if ic would not be advisable to get the Beards to raise loans to enable them to take advantage of 'he eubsic'iea. He suggested that couise Cr Wilccx said £IOO was put down ou the road from Whar.tarata road tu the liver; that could nut be taken up. but he would like tu see it made available. He thought it would j bo a good thing if the Cuunty ccukl advance the money and charge it against the aiHerent districts on next ytar's tates. If the Road Boards could not do it the County should. i Mr Motion: Could not a special rate be struck over the area to be | benefited? Cr Wilcox: No. Cr fulton, referring to Whanga- | rata River road, said ihis was the worst road in Pukekohe riding, but J the valuation was very low and the rates did nut amount tu £2O. lie pointed out that there was a subsidy i ot i.IOO for the road Irom Tuakau I station to Waikatu bridge. That road j carried all the traffic from Onewheio, | Pukekawa and Wairatnarama. They i were trying to take this subsidy up, but he ilid not know if it could be done. ]

Cr Campbell said the attempt at finding a sob!ion to the pr.bltm appeared to have been fenced roucd. It seemed to him that th: Council, as the superior and ma'e influential body, could work U as they had faci'.itiis tJ raise mo-'y where tie other local bodi s could not. If the money wete taisrd for work in a particular ibing, ihbt riding could be charged with tie sinki g fund. Tne Council could assist the Road Boards by raising a lo;n and charging the interest a/.ainst the particular district by spe.bl raUs. By adopting a 3d enie something like tint tiuy would cnalle the lecal bodie- to lake up these Government unsi itcs. It would be on easy matter lo ray, £SOO ;<nd crarga i merest and sinking fend agiinst Hunu>. I his would mean that the Boaul, during the present summer, could no a great deal of work, which would relieve the County Coanc.l next year. If advantage were tot taken of the money now it would take twite as much ne.it year to do tie wok. Cr Henry said that Cr Campbell's plan seemed fairly feasibly but ail the ridings were not in the same position. In Mauku district they were all straight-out; grants, and if the Council sdopUd the method suggested he was afia»d ratepayers in his district would resent a rate to make the subsidy for Karaka roads available. Cf Campbell: Then make a special rating atea of Karaka Road District! Cr Flanagan said re bad roughly l« tailed the amou-ts to £SOOO, and if they were going to do ii for Hunua every other district would want it. Lr Campbell again protested against the suggestion that this was being done especially for Hunua He hoped that Cr Flanagan's special district of Drury nassu financially strong that it did not need to ask for favours. Cr Flanagan expiessed regret that Cr Campbell had taken him up the wrong way. He moved—That the Clerk be it strutted to write to ail the Road Boards, pointing nut that thy;e f ub.3ifiics had been tei abbe, aßking if the Boards were in a position to take i;p the subsbie;?, and if thej would ccquuint the Council with their cicurtstances. Then, said Cr Flanagan, the Council could consider tic question of helping. He was anxious, and more th;;n anxious, to help the Hoad Boards if the Council ctuld «'o sr. Cr Campbell: Hear, hear. Cr Campbell sugg< sted that instead of the cbrk aritbe, the members of the Council should interview tha different Hoards in their ricings and report to next meeting. Cr Flanagan adopted this suggestion and put it in the form otamotnn, which was seconded hy Crt ampbell. and catried.