COUNTY MACHINERY.

Shannon News, 25 May 1923, Page 4

COUNTY MACHINERY.

AND iMAIN HIGHWAYS BILL

The question of the provision of further road-making machinery came up for discussion at yesterday’s meeting of the Horowhenua County Council* Councillor Bi’oadbelt said that it was impossible to carry on with' the present machinery at the disposal of the County. The present tarry was quite inadequate for the work to be done, and further stone crushing machinery would have to be considered. Another lorry was necessary and he considered that one should be provided-. Tb)e Wirokino Riding alone could keep the present lorry fully employed.

The chairman (Mr G. A. Monk) said that there was no doubt that new machinery was advisable, but at present it would mean the raising of a new loan. There had been a lot of criticism about raising money for the present machinery (laughter), but that was nothing. The machinery had more than justified itself. At the present time, however, the raising of a new loan was a big hurdle.

Councillor! H ; arkness, that il would be a good thing if more machinery were available, but at l present the Council should adopt a system of absolute economy. The Main Highways Bill was probably coming into operation soon, and it would then be necessary to provide special machinery for this, but- in the meantime he would suggest that the Council “go slow,” where expenditure was concerned.

Councillor Catley, supporting the last speaker, said that a light lorn,' might be provided with benefit, but in other respects he considered they had better go as economically as possible.

The chairman said that as far as road machinery was concerned, as Councillor Broadbelt had said, the machinery could be kept going by the Wirokino Riding, but with the coming of the Main Highways Bill, road mlachinery would have to be provided, and it was better to wait until they found it was necessary before going to further expense. As for the provision of a light lorry, this had been recommended by the Engineer for some time. The insinuations that the County’s heavy lorry had been used to carry a few drain pipes and other light loads, were incorrect. Mr Mottershead’s light lorry had always been employed when such light work had to be done. In regard to the Main Highways Bill, he would, at next meeting, lay all the information he possessed before the Council. Under tMs scheme the County Council had the option of carrying out the work within its own boundaries. Several counties would he lumped into a District Board, but each county would have the option of doing its own work. If the Horowhenua County did its own work, it would have to get machinery, and this could be provided as part of the loan which would be raised under the scheme.

Councillor Jensen asked when the County machinery would be available for the Te Horo Riding. There were several roads in the Riding.badly in need of attention, and if they could not be attended to shortly, they would be in a very bad state indeed. The Engineer explained that the machinery was now in use in the Tokomaru Riding. Owing to the bad weather it was difficult to say when it would he available.

The chairman said that there was not much use discussing the question just now. Until the estimates were made out they were only beating the air. They knew that there was work urgently requiring attention in every Riding, but there was only a certain amount of machinery, and every Riding would get its fair turn.