The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 1919 MANUKAU COUNTY ROADING SCHEME.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 456, 15 August 1919, Page 2

The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 1919 MANUKAU COUNTY ROADING SCHEME.

"We nothing extenuate, nor let down auaht in malice. 1 '

The Manukau County Council are .'hewing practical wisdom and commendable foresight in the roading policy recently projected. For some considerable time past I it has been felt by the members of the Council that a change in the present system of road-making was very necessary. With this object in view the councillors end engineer made a tour of inspection over the whole County. As an outcome of this tour it was decided that it was impossible to make any drastic amends without fust raising loans to lay down pennauant roads. It was found, however, 1 that there were obstacles in the way ; which prevented some of the lidt ingfc from placing a compreh msive roading scheme before their ratepavers, namely, road boards with conflicting interests Recognising the above tacts, the Mangere Road Board took steps to merge in order to enable the riding to embark upon a comprehensive scheme. An estimate has been prepared for the re-mettling and laying in tar macadam of about 30 miles ot road in this riding, at a cost of /8 () ,0i)U. The Wairoa riding contemplate raising a loan of about /4(i,ihm). This amount will provide tor the remetalling and tar macadamising of the whole of the main roads, as wall as serving each district with good metalled road--. We might say that right throughout the County the demand is for better roads, and the feeling amongst the ratepayers is that loan money must be raised, Before good roads can be made it is essential that proper machinery for expending loans should lie provided. With the above scheme in view the councillors and engineer are making a trip to Taranaki, where most of the counties in that Province have raised large loans, and laid out their roads in tar macadam. From press reports we learn that the?e roads can lie maintained at a cheaper cost than the ordinary water bound macadam, road It is the intention of the Council on their return to address the ratepayers throughout the Countvwith a view to lo raising a machinery loan of I s ,'"'", ale<> (he

riding loans previously n feii'ed to. The Minister foi PuMic YVoiks (Hon. \V M. Frascrl who icc< nlly visilfd Auckland, wa.s wai ed on hy a dcptltatioii from tie. Council with icfrcniv tosuhsidie - on loans Tin Miuistci pointed out the In aw (leinaiuls wuc hcing made upon the I'.xrh'qticr. hut he "-aid that. as far as he was ahle, he would assist those riding who were prepared to help themselves. The Council as a whole recognise that it is impossihli' l'» renew loads out of levenue, and contemplate phn ing loan proposals hi fore their respective ridings in the ne;>.i future. It is to he hoped that the ratepayers will leward the councillors for loss of limo and expense, h\ . lovallv supporting Ihoin in llicir i efforts to improve folding eoiulit • ' ill the ( 'ollllt V. '