WIROKINO HIGHWAY.

Shannon News, 25 January 1929, Page 4

WIROKINO HIGHWAY.

PLANS FOR THREE MILES COMPLETED.

CR. GIMBLETT SEEKS DETAILS FOR COUNCIL MEETING.

REFERRED TO THE DRAFTING OFFICE.

It was reported to the Horowhenua County Council on Saturday, by the County Engineer (Mr Brewster) that the plans of three miles of the LevinWirokino road (No. 1 Main Highway via Foxton) had been completed, and that as soon as the estimate was compiled they could bo forwarded, to the Highways Boards for approval. Cr. Gimblett asked if the plan would come before the Council before being sent to the Board.

The Engineer stated that it would be put before the , Works Committee for approval before going forward. Cr. Gimblett said that, during the little while he had been on the Council, he had not seen anything placed before the Council showing that class of work.

The chairman stated that the practice had been for the plans to come before the Works Committee. There was no reason why they should not be laid on the Council table.

■Cr. Gimblett: When is the proper time for a new councillor to haye a say in any new work or deviation in the Highways scheme? The, councillors for the riding have been over the road with the Engineer, but we may have our own ideas 1 . Is the plan coming before the Council at the table, or do councillors have to go to the Engineer’s office to find out where the road is going; and what say do they have in that road?

The Chairman: The best way is to see the ..plans in the drafting office, discuss them there, and, if you are not satisfied, bring the matter up in the Council. The plans come before the Works Committee by request. We have had plans of works done and they have gone in straight to the Department for that. Plans have gone to the Department and have been referred back to us. Cr. Gimblett: I am not blaming the Department. The Chairman: I would advise you to get in touch with the Engineer. Cr. Ryder: At the last meeting of the Works Committee we had the Waikawa bridge. The Engineer: Also the three miles of the Wirokino Road and the Albert Road bridge. Cr. Catley (to the chairman): Can you state a specific instance of the Board referring a plan back suggesting any alterations?

The Chairman: There were two instances. One was Queen Street-Ara-paepae Road, and the other was Staples’ deviation.

The Engineer: We endeavour to set out this road-line to the best possible alignment, taking into consideration the cost; There is a good deal of work in plans, and if they are submitted to the Council for alterations it must be before the ink is put on the plans. If councillors are not prepared to come to the office, the work’s are going to be held up from time to time —you cannot avoid it, because you only meet once a month. The Main Highways! construction is tin dev the jurisdiction of the whole Council, as each riding finds its share. In, submitting the plans to the Works Committee I thought I was doing the right thing; but if I have to submit them to individual councillors the works will be held up.

Cr. Gimblett: I understand that the Works Committee have approved the three miles and that the plans have gone forward. I as a councillor knew nothing at all about it. I ask the chairman, “Do you know the exact locality where the corners are to be taken off on those three miles of road?” I should have gone into the office and inquired into it; but there are other councillors here as bad as myself. In years to come a person could say, ”Why did it go there?” The Engineer stated that he had spent an afternoon taking councillors over the road and showing them where the road was going.

Cr. Gimblett: I said then, “I quite approve of all that.” The chairman explained that the system had obtained in the past of councillors going out with the Engineer to obtain information as to proposed highways work in this county. Cr. Gimblett wanted to be acquainted with all particulars, and to do that he must put in a certain amount of time in the drafting office.

CRITICISM OF PRESENT ROAD. Reference was made by the Chairman to criticism of the Wirokino section of highway by a correspondent in a Wellington paper. That writer understood that the Council were proceeding with the other northern Highway (No. 60), owing to an arrangement with Palmerston North, to send all the traffic that way. The statement was absolutely untrue. The Council had gone on with the work in the Tokomaru riding in order to give more of their rate payers benefit from an improved highway than would be the case if they had done the Wirokino section. The correspondent’s complaint was more against formation than maintenance, and the Council hoped in the future to make that better.

PROVISION FOR HORSE TRAFFIC Cr. Gimblett asKed how far two or three cuttings in the Avenue would be taken back to allow for horse traffic. The Engineer had informed him that the making the road wide enough for horse traffic was County work and the Board was not concerned with it. The Council would have to provide for horse traffic; and there were two or three cuttings in the Avenue where horses would be forced on to the bitu-

men. Would sufficient width be allowed through those cuttings, and in cuttings further out, for a single horse and for one-wheel traffic? The Chairman: . I don’t think so. There will be three feet..

Or. Gimblett: We should provide for that. It is absolutely dangerous to ask anyone to drive a horge through the first cutting in the Avenue on a frosty morning. There are some horses still carting cream, etc. Cr. Kilsby said there was quite an amount of horse traffic in that direction. If the Council endeavoured to do a little to those cuttings, he thought it would assist the horse traffic a great deal.

The Chairman: What applies there applies over the whole county.

The Chairman: This is a discussion for the Works Committee. As far as we have gone, we require more stuff for filling than we have taken out of the ordinary cutting. I think the same will apply here, with the result that the extra stuff will be taken off tie sides aad you will have the extra width.