HOROWHENUA ROADING WORKS TO REMAIN SUSPENDED

Shannon News, 21 September 1928, Page 4

HOROWHENUA ROADING WORKS TO REMAIN SUSPENDED

HIGHWAYS BOARD’S OFFER NOT ACCEPTABLE.

wai only Give £2 for £l. And Require Additional Loan to be Raised. Other Counties Get £3 for £l. - , Pioneer Council States a Strong Case.

SHANNON-MAKERUA SECTION. MAY BE FINISHED.

> The Horowhenua County Council’s offer, to the Main Highways Board, as a means of easing the blirden weighing heavily on the"* County for I}he i: construction of roads used mainly for through traffic, was made public at last Council meeting, by the chairman (hlf G. A. Monk). It was made in a; letter to the Board under date of August Bth, (and in effect it set out that if the Board would allow a subsidy of £3 for £1 on certain works remaining to be done and which the Council has suspended, such works would be resumed v The estimated cost of /Such works is £83,907. Will regard to new work in the northern part of the county, the Council asked the Board tq pay the whole cost by means of giants spread over five years. The reply from the Board contained lan offer of £2 for £1 on the firstmentioned works, with a suggestion that the Council should raise the additional 10 per cent, allowed by statute on its loan. Wifh regard to the new work in the northern end, the was on the lines that the Council’s request might be brought up for consideration at some future date. A long discussion ensued, and the Council resolved not to accept the Board’s offer; but it was further decided that the chairman and Cr. Catley inter- - view the District Engineer tq ascertain whether the Department or the Board would be prepared to give a subsidy of £2 for £1 on the completion of the construction of the section Shannon to Makerua railway station and the section Tokomaru River to north boundary; land that, in the event of no favourable reply being received in a fortnight, all construction work shall cease immediately. WHAT THE COUNCIL PROPOSED. The chairman said he would move that the Council intimate that it is not prepared to accept the Board’s offer; and that the Council’s purposals previously communicated to the Board be now made public. The Council’s proposals were set out in the following letter, dated August Bth, and forwarded by the clerk by direction of the Council to the District Engineer: — “I have yours of the 26th ultimo in reference to the proceedings of the Maiq Highways Board at the meeting held on the 19th inst., so far as it affects this County’s Main Highways programme. I thank you for setting out the proposals of the Board, but regret. that after the ratepayers ot this County have undertaken a liability of £78,000 for main roads the Highways Board should desire the Council to raise a further 10 per' cent, on the loan, amounting to £7BOO. Anxious as the Council is for the completion of the scheme, it believes that for a County like Horowhenua with a fairly long stretch of main roads and practically no subsidiary highways, £78,000 should be a fair contribution. However, my Council are pleased to have. the Main Highway: Board’s proposals, and they have to respectfully , request that the Board re-consider and amend such proposals on the following lines:— To allow a £3 for £1 basis on the works hereunder shown: — POE COMPLETION: No. 1 HIGHWAY (WellingtonAuckland via Taranaki) — Otaki Bridge to Levin. Complete 5 short lengths in this section; erect Manakau, W’aikawa and Kuku bridges. Cer- ' tain preparatory work done in the way of shoulder formation. Estimated Cost £10,388 Deviations at D’Aths, Bevan’s and Staples’ completed. Most Of the bitumen, and the whole of the main course metal and chips are on the road side. No. 60 HIGHWAY (LevinPalmerston North via Shannon) —Levin Borough - Boundary to Arapaepae Road: — This is a section of about 45 chains and metal is alongside. Two estimates have been prepared for the work, one for sealing, £605, and the other for bitumen penetration, £1530. It is decided to consider the estimate for penetration amounting to £1,530 No. ’6O HIGHWAY (LevinPalmerston North, via. Shannon) Shannon to Makerua Railway Station: Section of 2m. 65ch. shoulder work completed; certain .amount of foundation metal-

ling done. Bitumen on roadside. Expended to date £8662. Estimated to complete ...... £7569

longv metal, haulage. It is proposed to straighten the bends as much as possible from the intersection of Potts’ Road to top of the Ihakara Hill and from the top of the hill to the northern boundary of the Riding. To do this, several pieces of land will have to be acquired. Malcerua Station to Tokomaru—4m. Estimated £31,70’ This is the most costly section in the whole length of main roads, as a considerable amount of 4 tarth work is to be dealt with. Alterations and repairs will be necessary on four small bridges and the Tokoinaru Bridge and a number of culverts renewed and extended. Several pieces of land will have to be acquired for the improvement of bends m the road. A number of fillings will.have to be raised where considerable shrinkage has taken place. The portion immediately north of Makerua is probably the most dangerous piece of main road in the whole County. Total £56,12!) The Council respectfully requests that the Board undertake to make available by way of grants, during the next- five years, the whole of the nionej required to complete the reconstruction of the above two lengths of highway. The work to be carried out either by the Public Works Department or the County, as may be hereafter arranged. SUPPORTING REASONS. In support of these proposals now submitted the Council begs to point out: — 1. That the Council entered into the Main Highways scheme at an earlier date than many Counties, owing to the urgent necessity of obtaining some relief from the heavy burden of maintenance; had initial experience to gain, and has doubtless had to pay the price which must be paid by local bodies that are progressive. 2. That although 'generally the work accomplished has exceeded the estimates and in one particular instance this has been the case to a very considerable extent, yet on the whole, good roads, have been built and will compare very favourably with roads of the type in any part of the Dominion. 3. That since the Council entered upon the scheme the alteration of the Board’s subsidies and the incidence of the petrol tax has changed the whole financial position as it affects a County that has completed a good deal of its work on the lesser

subsidies formerly given. Unless the Board takes this into considerathose local bodies who showed initiative and a desire for progress, will be penalised as against those that have hung back or done nothing. 4. That if the Board agree to the proposals herein for the completion of the whole scheme, their subsidy would amount to approximately £2 2s to the £.

5. That the estimates now given, based on the experience of the past are likely to prove correct and are probably on the safe side. 6. That, i» addition to the increased subsidies affecting tlxo position, the incidence of the petrol tax is a very important factor as it affects this County, owing to there, being no roads that might strictly be considered additional or subsidiary highways. Some 14 miles of addition-,, al highways have been declared, but such roads, however, are little more than district roads and would only demand a minimum of subsidy for their upkeep. 7. That the County has a new Main Highway liability in that’it has to find about £6OOO for the new Shan-non-Foxton Highway and bridge over the Manawatu River. 8. That in addition to the £78,000 authorised for re-construction work, the sum of £12,000 has been raised for machinery and plant with which to carry out the work. .This loan is repayable in twelve years. 9. That the sum of £4226 has so far been found lor administrative costs in connection with Main Highway construction, for which no subsidy has been received. In order to meet future costs, it is considered that the 10 per cent, on the loan should be held in reserve for this purpose. ,10. That most of the roads in the County have been constructed cut of special loans. There are now 137 special rating areas. The special rate of |ths of a penny in the pound plqdged as security for the M.Il. Loan, amounts to £7 16s 3d- on a property of £SOOO valuation. REVISED ESTIMATES.

NEW WORK. No. 1 HIGHWAY (Welling- . ton-Auckland via Taranaki) —Levin to Wirokino Bridge—B£m. Estimated ' £44,855 No survey, location or engineering work done here, but could be undertaken immediately, and probably earthwork could be started within three or four weeks if proposals are agreed to by the Board. No. 60 HIGHWAY (Lcvui-Pal-merston North via Shannon).—. (a) North Boundary Wirokino Riding to Shannon —lm. 39c. Estimated £11,732 This includes a very dangerouspiece of road at the foot of the Shannon Hill, where several accidents have occurred, one fatally, quite recently. (b) Tokomaru River to Northern boundary of County—2m. 25e. Estimated £7836 Certain foundation work and shoulders done. All widening and other earth work practically completed. Total £83,907 SUGGESTED APPORTIONMENT OF COST, f Board £62,930 Council 20,977 £83,907 To complete the original scheme for the Main Highways in the County ihere are two lengths in No. 60 as follows: — Waoku Stream to Northern Boundary of Wirokino Ridirg . —3m. 63ch. Estimated £24,428 This section is a fairly expensive one owing to the large, amount of earth work and the

I am enclosing for your information, duplicate copies of revised detailed estimated of the following sub-lengths of Highway which have been based on survey information:—

1. No. 1 Highway (WellingtonAuckland via Taranaki) Otaki River to Levin £10,388 2. No. 60 Highway (Levin-Pal-merston North via Shannon): Levin to Waoku Stream, Queen Street Upper, 44 l-3ch, —, Penetration £1530 'Sealing £605 3. Waoku Stream to North Boundary, Wirokino Riding—3m. 50.5 ch £24,428 4. North Boundary Wirokino Riding to Shannon —lm. 39ch. £11,732 5. Shannon to 'Maker.ua, 2m. 65ch £7,566 6. Tokomaru River to 'Nortjh Boundary —2m. 25ch £7,837

In accordance with the arrangement made when a deputation from this Council waited on Mr Furkert on the 26th ultimo, I shall be pleased if the foregoing proposals can be submitted for consideration by the Main Highways Board, in due course.

BOARD ’{S COUNTER-PROPOSALS

The District Engineer (Mr R. H. P. Ronayne), replying to the Council’s communication of August Bth, wrote stating that the matter was further considered by the Highways Board on August 16th, and it was decided to modify the Board’s original offer as follows: —A subsidy of £2 for £1 to be offered to the Horowhenua County Council to complete the . following works: —

Wellingfcon-Auckland via Taranaki Main Highway—Otaki Bridge to Levin, estimated to cost £10,388. Levin to Wirokino Bridge, estimate to cost £44,855. Levin-Palmerston North via Shan-non-Levin Borough boundary to Arapaepae Road, estimated to cost £1530.

Shannon to Makerua railway station, estimated to cost £7566. North boundary Wirokino Riding to Shannon, estimated to cost £ll,732.

Tokomaru River to northern Boundary of County, £7836. Grand total, £83,907.

“The Board considers,’’ the letter continued, “that jour County Council, by raising the additional 10 per cent, allowed by statute on its loan, will be in a position to finance this programme, and it trusts that your County will ,accept the offer now made and that work will be resumed at an early date. “The question of the completion of the original scheme at a further cost of £56,000 may be brought up for consideration at some future date. THE MINISTER’S STATEMENT. Mr J. Linklater, M.P., forwarded the following letter received from the Hon. K. S. Williams, Minister of Public Works: —“Replying to the representations which you made when you placed before me a letter of the Bth August, from the Horowhenua County Council addressed to yourself, I have to advise you that the representations made have been forwarded to the Highways Board, who, I am sure, will endeavour to meet the Horowhenua County in a way which will not be unfair to them. In this connection, however,’ I must point out that the Highways Board, in dealing with any one county, must take into consideration its general policy, and consider the way its dealings with any one county would be likely to react

upon all the other local bodies with which it has business. ’ ’

COUNCIL’S FINAL OFFER. The Chairman said he was moving as he did because he realised that the Council had reached the stage of making their final offer to the Board, failing the acceptance of which all hew work must cease.

He emphasised that they were taking up that attitude with a great deal of reluctance and regret. It had been suggested that, to some extent, they, might be to blame for work not having been proceeded .with on the Levin-Fox-ton highway, but he would like to point out that the Council had laid down a definite policy as to how the various works were to proceed, and it was decided to give as nearly as possible an equal amount of work in each riding. As Tokomaru had shouldered a good deal of the liability, it was necessary that a certain amount should be proceeded with there. It Avas not because any pressure had been brought to bear as 'far as Palmerston North was concerned that vvork' had been done in that riding or on No. 60 higlnvay, but in order to give the ratepayers some of the benefits that Avould be derived from a better class of road. The Coun cil had commenced the higliAyay Avork on the understanding that it could be done for a certain sum of money on a £1 for £1 basis. They had spent £50,COO or £60,000 on that basis and he believed that they had done very good Avork. Hatters had moved A-ery fast, hoAvever, and they found that, by means of the petrol tax, the Board was giving very much higher subsidies to local bodies than Avhen this Council were laying down their highways, and that it Avas giving them on roads that were not any more important than those Avhich this Council had had to construct. Whether this Avas a fault of the Act, and of the application of the petrol tax, or Avliether it Avas the fault of the Higlrways Board, was for the authorities and not the Council to say; but as a result of the petrol tar, or the Act which allowed it, they had the Board to-day giving certain local bodies who had done practically no work on the £1 for £1 basis, a subsidy of £3 for £1 for considerable lengths of road. Apparently the Board was not taking into consideration any amount of money that the Council had spent in the past on the £1 for £1 basis. Apparently they came into the picture to-day on the same' footing as local bodies Avho had spent very little. Amongst the counties in this district, the lloroAvhenua County had received the lesser consideration for subsidiary higlnvays, amounting almost to nothing. This Avas so because the county 'had not the roads to be so classed. The only one like a subsidiary highAvay Avas the Hokio Beach Road, the maintenance of Avhicli Avas small. The local bodies that Avere getting £3 subsidy hlid already had. a number of roads declared subsidiary highways. If that feature Avas not going to be taken into consideration, Avith the fact of the Council's having spent £50,000 or £60,000, and if they had to start off again as though they had not spent a penny, then the position was grossly unfair. Seeing lioav far the matter had gone, and that the Council had endeavoured to meet the Avishes of the Board and push on with the work, he thought they Avere justified in saying to. the Board, “We are not going to do any new Avork till Ave can come to an understanding on the proposals„we have submitted.” AN ANOMALOUS POSITION. Continuing, the chairman 3aid he AA'anted the public to knoAV that the Council Avere quite Avilling, if the Board Avas prepared to grant their request so that they could see the. whole of their Avork completed. As to the local bodies that had not done anything in the making of highways up to the present, the loAvest subsidy they Avere getting Avas £2 for £l. If this Council had started on that basjs, the Avhole of the Avork could have been completed Avithout their having to resort—as asked by the Board —to the raising of the additional 10 per cent, on the loan.

WILL RESIST 10 PER CENT LEVY TO THE LAST.

“It makes my blood boil,” the chairman added, “to think that, when we have committed the ratepayers to £78,000 and the Board is handling' hundreds of thousands, they submit a proposal to raise the 10 per cent, on the loan. It is paltry, and we should look for administration- from the Board on 3. higher pliuie than that. If we were endeavouring* to avoid our responsibilities, they would be justified, but they are not justified when the work could have been, completed on the snmo basis that they are now offering to the local bodies —and they are offering some of them more. We are justified in resisting to the last the request that we should raise the 10 per cent, on the loan. We have stood the whole administrative and engineering costs of the work, and we have no fund except the general fund by which to-day we could undertake the engineering and survey cost. That is grossly unfair. The position should be now that we should intimate directly to the Board that we are not prepared to tackle any new work. If t{iey are willing, there are two pieces of road in the Tokomaru riding that can be completed on ,the £2 for £1 basis, but I think that beyond that no work should be done. I am willing to convey that to them as being definite. The Minister promised to give us relief, and his letter practically amounts to nothing—it is still in the hands of the Highways Board.

“The time has come when, the general public should know exactly where they stand, and in justice to the ratepayers we should not sanotion another sixpence being spent on new work in this Co-

unty unless the Board is prepared to treat us .better. Because the Board has laid down a certain line, and that is that roads happen to raidiate from boroughs of • 6000 population, .they can give £3 for £l. With the present maintbe present maintenance Subsidy, we can afford to sit down and wait till that subsidy reaches us."

COUNCILLORS SUPPORT THE CHAIRMAN.

Cr. Ryder said the Council should be: very pleased Avith the manner in Avhich -the position had beam stated by the chairman, Avho had left very little for: the councillors to say. This Council had taken the initiative, and noAv they Avere being treated as if they had done nothing. He had much pleasure in supporting the proposal that the Council do not give Ava-y on a single point. Cr. Jensen (to the Chairman): You mentioned that Ave have committed the ratepayers to £78,000. The Chairman: We have authority.

Cr, Jensen: You might have stressed the point and said £IOO,OOO. We have the machinery loan. I don’t knoAV whether Ave are committed at present to the bridge and approaches and highAvay at Shannon. If that is so, it will practically reach £IOO,OOO. Under these circumstances I quite agree that we should call a stop over the Avhole of tKe Avork and not go on any further. I don't think it is a good policy at, this juncture, seeing that avc have no proposal by the HighAvays Board, to do Anything on the road to Foxton.' If avc spent the money authorised by the ratepayers and had this road to negotiate; with a-ftenvards, it AAxrald be detrimental to the Council. We should have the whole matter clear before Ave go any further. Cr. Catley supported the chairman's proposal. He said he felt that, if the Council had approached the Board in the fh%t place Avith an estimate of Avhat they were iioav asking for, the Board AY-ould have met them. It Avas quite apparent that, the Board could not haA r e examined these estimates very closely. He thought that the time had arrived/—taking everything into consideration— the Coiineil (should : stop all Avork on neAV construction. Cr. Whyte supported the proposal. He urged ’that the Tokomaru section be completed, as otherwise £7OOO or : £BOOO Avould be tluoAvn away. QUESTION OF NORTHERN SECTIONS. Cr. Kilsby said he Avould move, as an'amendment, that Avork be suspend- \ ed on all the highAvays in the county until the Council get.some definite uni derstanding from the Board. If the i Cfeuncil went on with the Avork at the ; northern end and ceased all other highAvay Avork, he did not think the Board > Avould pay the remainder of the subisidv offered. The Chairman: It will come up in |the Works Committee’s report. If tlu, [Board are Avilling foi us to do that on the £2 for £1 basis, the Makcrua and Tokomaru sections should be completed. At Makerua the Avhole of the I bitumen is on the ground and at least hall of it belongs to us and Ave shall haA r e to dispose of it. I don't knoAV Avhat the Board Avould do with thenhalf. If they are agreeable for us to do that on the £2 for £1 basis, Ave ought to do that and then shut down. It Avill reduce our loan money by some £SOOO, but it does not alter the position in regard to our other roads. It makes our position sound, because Ave shall have reduced our maintenance. There are certain factors to be considered. _ One is that Ave will keep our machinery goiug a little longer and avg Avill use up this bitumen. I AA'as trying to deal Avith the general future policy of this Council in regard to any'new works on the highway. We are willing to start next Aveek; if the Board .will agree to our proposals, Ave are Avilling to start on the-Leyin-Wirokino section; but let the public knoAV that, unless the Board is prepared to agree to our proposals, we are not prepared to strike one bIoAV on it, and the motorists who are users can go on paying the maintenance. There is this point about it. If the Avork Avas worth a £1 for £1 subsidy Avhen the Board was paying 10s to £1 for maintenance, it is not sound that, if they , are prepared to pay £2 for £1 for maintenance, then they should increase their subsidy for construction to £4. Wo should let the user luioav that this is the principle on AA r hich Ave base our claim to-day. Yet, because we have done this work and shoAvn the Avay in main highAvays construction, the Board is paltry enough to come and try to bleed us of £7BOO. At the Counties' Conference, the Prime Minister said that legislation would be brought doAvn where it was warranted, and that where a county could show that it was overburdened by rates the . contribution Avould be £2 for £l.

Cr. Barber said that, in the event- of No. 1 Highway being gone on with, it was possible for the traffic to be diverted through No. CO Highway for quite long periods, and such traffic would be assisted if the Council completed the sections, started in ihe northern end of the eounty. The Chairman: 1 think they will be quite willing for us to do that. If we can get £2 for £l, we complete those two sections at Tokomaru, and then say, “That is final. The Board’s is the next move.” Cr. Barber: If they make this a deviation, they would have to further subsidise for maintenance. ' Cr. 'Ryder said he thought it would be absurd to stop the Tokomaru work, seeing that, the Council had the bitumen on the ground. If they let this work wait, they would have to do a lot of it over again and there would be unnecessary expense. The chairman explained to Cr. Kilsbv that the £2 subsidy offered would only apply from that time onwards, and not from the beginning of the scheme. WORKS AT THE SOUTHERN END. Cr. Jensen asked the ’chairman what he proposed in regard to the works in the south end . of the. County. The Chairman : I suggest that we take the bitumen from down "there and take

it north and not do any more work i* the south. FURTHER OVERTURES.

The motion Avas then moved by the chairman, seconded-by Cr. Ryder, and carried unanimously, as folkms: —

That the chairman and Cr. Qatley interview the District Engineer . in'Wellington to ascertain if tits Department or the Highways Board would be prepared to give a subsidy of £2 for £1 on the completion 1

of the re-construction of the section of highway from Shannon to the Makerua railway station and the section from the Tokomaru River to the North Boundary, on the understanding that it is without prejudice to the Board’s offer; and that, in the event of no favourable reply being received in a fortnight, all constmction work shall cease immediately.

The chairman* said that Mr Liiikla.te.l7 M.P., should be thauked for the copy of the letter Avhich he had received from the Minister. It Avas the usual ministerial reply conveying very lit-’ tie.

REQUEST FROM FOXTON. Mr R. Hornfclow, secretary Of the Foxton Chamber of Commerce, A\ r rote stating that, at a recent meeting of the Chamber, it Avas decided to Avrite to the Council' respectfully requesting; that the Lovin-Wirokino highAvay be tar-sealed at the earliest possible dat&* in order to connect up Avith the proposed Avork in ManaAvatu County, Avhich .would be put in hand almost immedi- ■? ately. *

The chairman said he thought they might thank the Chamber for the interest it Avas taking in the Council's work,, and intimate that they Avere prepared to go on with the Avork immediately, provided that a subsidy was forthcoming: also that they did not pro- • pose to put doAvr. a tar-sealed road, but penetration, Avhich Avas much superior. “You would probably be some Avhat 1 astounded to learn,” Ilie chairman added, “that the proposed Avork for Avhieh [a subsidy of £3 for £1 is being offered, is purely tar-sealing, and not penetration Avoik. I raised the point in. , the District Council and AA r e sent a recommendation that a higher-class pavement should be made Avhere a higher [•subsidy is given. H.o-wevef,- the* Board] ?are prepared to accept tar-sealing, or bitumen sealing instead of penetration.’ No good reason has been given, but that' just goes to slioav lioav, once more, Ave - are not being treated as fairly as’we •should be . EARLY ASSISTANCE REQUIRED IN TOKOMARU RIDING. : The Works Committee recommended ■ that the Avork of reconstructing the Shaimon-Makerua and the Tokomaru to. [North Boundary sections be stopped i immediately and until such time as sat- • isfactory arrangements are made with ithc Main Higlnvays Board in respect to jfinauce. i The chairman said that the Council • Avere perhaps someAvhat divided as to '■whether this Avprk should proceed or jnot. If nothing better could be got, he 1 would say that these tAvo particular of Avork should be completed on [the £2 basis, notwithstanding that the' [Council thought they were entitled to :£3. He considered that representations[should be made to the HighAvays Board or the District Engineer that the Council proposed to do this. If it was intended to shift the bitumen from Otaki the County Engineer should take stock and find out how much more he wanted to get it. There was the question of what provision Avas to be made for metal. He presumed that their Engineer had that in vieAV and AA’Ould.take the. steps necessary. It might mean the shifting of No. - 4 crusher. They would •want to start the laying of the penetration in November. The length of ■ the two sections Avas 5 miles 10 chains. Cr. Catley: If we are going to get any satisfaction, we want to know if we are going to get this £2 subsidy at once.

The Chairman: I take it that, if we do not get the £2 subsidy, Ave shall not do anything. Cr. Catley: The Avork should stop at once until avg get the £2 subsidy promised.

The Chairman: We accept this portion of their offer.

Cr. Catley: Would Ave not be wise in limiting the time till Ave get that promise? \

The Chairman: Yes". I am going to Wellington on Tuesday morning. Cr. Ryder suggested that Cr. Cat-ley accompany tlio chairman. Cr. Jensen urged that the work at the Otaki end be not deferred for an indefinite time. He also mentioned the deviation at Bevan’s Corner. The Chairman: They won?t let ns do that this year. Cr. Jensen: We should endeavour to have the traffic over it, : On the motion of Cr. Catley it was. decided that the Works Committee's recommendation be deleted, and that the chairman and the mover interview, the District Engineer as tb-whether the offer of £2 for £1 will hold good far the two uncompleted sections in the. Tokomaru riding irrespective of other highway works. >