MAIN HIGHWAYS ACT.

Shannon News, 24 October 1923, Page 3

MAIN HIGHWAYS ACT.

PREPARING FOR OPERATION

A special meeting of to Horowhenua county Council was held in the

j Council Chambers on Friday to con- ' sitter title County Chairman's report of ithe Counties' Conference hela in Wellington. \ The chairman, Cr. G. A. Monk, presided, there being also present Cxs. Jensen, Ca-i-iiey, barber, White., Bryant, Broadbelt, Ryder and Harkness. In opening the meeting the chairman said that they would see by his report of- the Counties' Conference ■ which they had all received, that he had dealt, mainly with, the operations of the Main Highways Act. As they could imagine there were many other things ol imporfcance discussed at, such a conierence, but he had felt that the burning question as far as this County was conoenned would be their position in respeciu to this Act. A statement made at the conference by the convenor was as follows: He had been asked what the action of the Board would be in the event, of a local body refuging to assist in the ! operation of the Act, and he had answered .that in such a ca&e the Board would deal first with 'those Counties which were willing to com© in. This meant that these would first get good roads. In this .County t'hia main roads wier© a 'burning question. Practically all (the main roads in the North Island converged on the Horowhenua County, and because of this it was necessary that they should take -every of the provisions of the Act as soon as was possible. He ' .would like to point! out that the roads in this County had been considerably improved in the last few yearsj, arid this would he a great help when it came to putting down the permanent sealed roads. The County had also a fair, amount of plant, road roller, crusher, etc., which could be used and which would save expense later on. The Main Highways Act did not come into operation until April, 1924, and what he felt was that this Couqlty should take sUC h steps as would enable them to take advantage of the Act immediately it came into operation, or as soon after as was possible. They should know exactly what machinery was needed, where they could get the necessary metal, and have a scheme drafted out lor submission to the Board. Thpy also needed a tar-distilling plant. *

What he would suggest to the Council was this—they did not know the requii:en>entts of (the Highways Board, but as this l was an important link in the. main roading scheme; of the whole island, it was safe to say that they wouiid be- strict, it being possible ithat they would insist on a tarred macadam road being put down —and" what he suggested was that a .repoirt of the Whole of the. work necessary should be prepared. :, It would nuean putting on the Engineer's shoulders, a bigger job than any he had done up to date, 'but he had every confidence that he: was competent to deal with it. It might necessitate relieving him Of a certain amount of 'supervision work in connection with ordinary county matters, but this could be arranged. Cr. Broadbelt expressed pleasure at the fact that the chairman had in his report stressed the necessity of the Main Highways Act,. This Act was vitally necessary to this County and as the chairman had said, the first County to apply would be the first to receive assistance. Regarding machinery he had always been in fjavour of getting more machinery and was glad it© see that this was now .advocated. As for the Engineer being put on to make a .report, it seemed to be a strange thing that the County should put on their Engineer to tell the Highways Board what they should do. It seemed more reasonable that the Highways Board would tell the County what to do. The chairman explained that as far as this was concerned his suggestion was that tM's report should be made in order to let the Board kno-w the requirements of the County. The Board had no Engineer at present and such a rep oil would greatly facilitate the work.

Cr. Jensen asked' if there was going to be a standard road throughout the country. Until this was decided it would not he possible for the Engineer to get out a report. The chairman stated that it was not possible to say just now what would be done, but it was necessary to know just what roads should come under the operation of the Act. As for .standardisation'., it would be a good thing, but was not absolutely necessary. Each County would pay for the work it had done. If they had a good road in this County they would pay for at: if they bad a better road in the next County they would pay for that and possibly pay less In the long run a s the result of dtecrfeiased upkeep. The advantage of preparing a report would be that they would give tlie Board a lead and be in a very much better position than those Counties which had to get to work from the start when the' Act came into operation. Cr. Catley then moved a resolution which was seconded by Cr. Broadbelt that the Engineer should bring down n report as suggested.

Cr. Harkriess asKed if the Highway Board would adopt the recommendations of .the County or wouild they take pleasure in cutting them to pieces as was the usual thing under the circumstances.

The chairman said that the Board could not take up a dictatorial attitude amy motfe than ithe' County could. They were each supplying ■ half of the money. They might make suggestions for , alterations—their Engineer might wish to confer witih the County Engineer and although the report a.s submitted might be. considerably amended, it was practically certain that., such amendments would be in the right direction. The main tiling was that a report would -have to be brought down and it was well to proceed with .the matter.

Cr. Harkness asked if it were likely that the District Board would have a common metal crushing plant. The chairmian sr>nl this was noit

likely as the District Boai;d had no funds, being merely an advisory Board. The only bodies having funds' were the Counties concerne'd and the Highways Board. The motion that the repent be prepared was then put and caiiried.