SHANNON ROADS.

Shannon News, 4 March 1927, Page 3

SHANNON ROADS.

SURFACING OF MAIN HICMWAY. A special meeting of the Borough Council was held in the Council Cham bers on Tuesday evening to deal with the permanent surfacing of the Main Highway through the Borough. Present: The Mayor (Mr E. Butt) and Crs. Thwaites, Downes, Hyde, Richards, Eichardson and Hook. Cr,. Thwaites, who had been responsible for moving that a special meeting be called, said his object in doing so, was to enable the Council to fully discuss the question, which was a most important one He asked if it was intended to go on with the Main Highway through the Borough. If not, it Avas going to leave a big gap in the Main Highway Board's work, and travellers passing through the Borough, no doubt would think it strange. Continuing, he said this was beside the question as he was fully aware that the Council must first consider thfcir j purse. An effort would have to btmade to get a subsidy from the Board. If the work was to be done there was no doubt about the advisability cf doing it straight away and to take advantage ,of endeavouring to secure tho County plant, now working in the neighbourhood A big saving in the cost of the work would be made if arrangements could be made with the Horowhenua County Council for the use of their staff. These were his objects in asking the Council to make a move, but he would like councillors to express their views on the matter. Cr. Downes said the Council wanted the w T ork done, but it was a question of cost. Under the present rules laid down by the Main Highways Board, no subsidy is paid to Boroughs towards construction,, only for maintenance.. The time had now arrived, if the Council was going to make a move, to approach the Highvyays Board for a subsidy towards the construction. He also pointed out that to bring a plant from outside was going to be an extra cost.

Cr Thwaites said that his idea was that Boroughs with a population of 5000 and under should co-operate with a view tc getting the Highway Board to subsidise the cost of construction of roads through the small boroughs to ihe extent of 50 per cent, the same as allowed counties. As it \vas, there wail no equity and it was unjust not t o subsidise small boroughs. In Shannon the burden would fall on a few. He contended the Board should have discretionary powers, instead of a hard and fast rule.

Cr, Down-as- in agreeing with Cr. Thwaites' idea, said something of the kind would have to be done, otherwise they had no hope of raising a loan as the borough was already heavily burdened.

Other councillors spoke in a similar strain.

Cr Hvde then moved and Cr Downes seconded, "That the Horowhenua County Council be .asked if they will allow their engineer to give an estimate of the cost of construction of the main highway through the borough, also what the fee for same will be The Town Cleik is to be instructed to get in touch with other boroughs with a population of under 5000, and ask for their co-operation in sending a delegate and a member for their district to wait on the Minister of Public Works with a view to obtaining a subsidy towards the cost of constructing main highway roads through boroughs." On the motion being put it was carried unanimously and the meeting terminated.