DISGRUNTLED RATEPAYERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 747, 21 August 1929, Page 7

DISGRUNTLED RATEPAYERS

FURTHER LOAN FOR ROSKILL Two deputations, headed by Messrs. E. Tl. Allen and J. Patterson respectively, waited on the Mount Roskill Road Board last evening to complain of the deplorable conditions of the roads in the southern area. Mr. Allen, a former member of the board, said that the opinion had been expressed that the board was deliberately penalising the South Roskill ratepayers because of their action in advocating amalgamation with the city. -For his part he did not favour the proposal and thought if the board adopted the ward system it would put an end to the existing discontent and agitation for disintegrating the district. For the information of the members of both deputations a recent report by the works committee was read to them in which it was shown that the committee fully recognised that many of the back roads were in a dangerous condition. The committee had recently paid a visit of inspection over the whole of the roads in the South Roskill area. It recommended that they be given immediate attention, and that all other of the board’s activities be suspended until the roads in the back areas are made safer for vehicular traffic. The chairman, Mr. E. F. Jones, informed the deputations that the board was called upon to maintain 96 miles of roads and had not sufficient funds for the purpose. As road maintenance could not be carried on out of revenue the board had resolved to place before ratepayers at an early date a comprehensive scheme for reconstructing the roads in permanent material, and he hoped the ratepayers would support the board’s policy. Mr. S. I. Goodall, chairman of the finance committee, said that as soon as the forthcoming poll on the question of concreting Mount Albert and Three Kings roads had been disposed of, another scheme, providing for the reconstruction of a further 20 miles of roads in bitumen would be placed before the ratepayers. As it was impossible to carry out these necessary improvements out of revenue, a loan would be necessary. Mr. E. R. Allen, on behalf of the deputations, expressed his approval of the board’s proposals and signified that he had no doubt that the ratepayers would support them.