IMPROVEMENT OF DISTRICT ROADS.

Shannon News, 15 November 1929, Page 4

IMPROVEMENT OF DISTRICT ROADS.

■» NOTICE TO RESCIND PROPOSAL TO APPLY FOR LOAN. WORK MAY BE DONE WITH j REVENUE AND GRANTS. j Some disappointment was expressed at the meeting of \the Horowhenua County Council on Saturday, that m the case of two out of the five district roads in respect of which the Council had made applications for Government grants, there had been no response. For McGill's (Koputaroa), Kukutauaki (Mark's, and Ohau East Roads, the grants authorised last year, but not expended, were renewed, but nothing was granted for Lindsay Road approach and Hokio-Waitarere Road extension. Cr. Gimblett said he had thought, in the first place, that there was to be a combined loan to cover the five roads. He asked if the Council was going to proceed with the three roads receiving grants, and to leave the other two. The position was different now from what it was when Cr. Catley had put forward his suggestion for a loan to cover all these roads.

Cr. Catley said that the two roads which were not receiving grants could be left out of the (picture for the present. Cr. Gimblett said he was not prepared for the Council to go to the expense and take the time necessary to carry through the three roads without including the other two, unless it could be done in some other way than by putting the question to the ratepayers to raise a loan, because he was of the opinion that that loan would not be carried. He was not prepared to support anything to enable the Council to carry the. work on at the present time.

Cr. Catley said he wished to ascertain if it was not possible to have work on the three roads commenced before March 31st.

The Engineer (Mr J. T. M. Brewster) stated that the plans and estimates for the three roads were all ready.

Cr. Catley inquired as to the total cost of the three roads.

The Engineer gave the estimates for the complete work as follows:—Ohau East, £337 ss; Kukutauaki, £393; McGill 's, £204. Cr. Catley: That is £934, of which we have to find £467. That is too small a sum for which to raise a loan.

The Chairman (Mr G. A. Monk): Yes. We could do it by a special works rate. One-sixteenth of a penny in the £ would probably do it. Cr. Catley: If we go for a loan, it is doubtful whether it will be carried, and it will take time. We cannot do it before March 31st; that is why _ i am in favour of doing it out of ordinary revenue. If we decide on that course, it would be necessary to rescind the resolution to apply for a loan? The Chairman: Yes

Cr. Catley then gave notice to move that the resolution passed at a previous meeting, to make application to the Loans Board, be rescinded; and to move that the Council's share of the expenditure be paid out of revenue. Cr. Gimblett gave notice to second the motion, and said he was pleased that Cr. Catley had come round to another way of thinking. Or. Catley: Only under the circumstances.

j Cr. Gimblett: I feel that we are now | going to have Cr. Catley with us. "he Chairman: You have had him all -along. The Council wanted the work done. The only difference was as to how the money was to be found. Cr. ■Gimblett: I feci, now, that we are going to have something done; and if we turn the first sod before the end j of the financial yet.r, we are going to ! do something real. The other two roads are just as deserving as these, however.

The Chairman: They will come

Cr. Gimblett: I t:m going to, try to Jo justice to all —not these three alone. I want to be a help to these men.

The Chairman: Pay out more for butter-fat;, that wifl help them. Cr. Catley said he had not changed bis mind at all; circumstances had made him alter it. There was an old saying ibout a person who did not change his mind according to circumstances, but he did not want to quote it. The Chairman remarked that it loked as if the completion of Hie whole >f 'tlK'.<:c roads would be pread over .1 erm of years, instead of being done all in one year.

A plan was received of the survey for a deviation of the Ohati East Roa.l through Native property and through the property of Mr Ernest Saint. The 'ounty Clerk stated that it was proposed that the width of this road be I.oft. It came off a half-chain road and returned again to a half-chain road, but the minimum width prescribed by the Act was 40ft.

Cr. Gimblett moved and Cr. Whyto seconded, that the Council authorise the provision of a road 40ft in width through Ohau on No. 2 Section 6 and Section 7 Block V., Waiopehu Survey District.

Cr. Catley said it was somewhat of an anomaly to have a 40ft road intervening ina half-chain road. The in-

creased width would necessitate a greater expense" in the acquisition of the land. However, if the Council objected to the 40ft. width, the effect would be to delay the matter further. The Engineer: You need 40ft. to form the road on. The minimum width under the Act is 40ft., and if you want anything less than that you have to go to no end of trouble. The motion was carried.