CONCRETE OR ASPHALT.

Taihape Daily Times, 18 August 1919, Page 5

CONCRETE OR ASPHALT.

.Rl~jF.Eßl;‘-NJ)U;\I TO BE TAKEN. At the meeting -of the Borough Coun.-i oil on Friday night, considemble discussion centred around clause 2 in the report of the Works Committee; wherein it was recommended «'that a. referendum be taken on tfie -28th instant on the proposal to substitute asphalt for concrete in"tlle formation of footpaths, as provided in the £17,000 man proposals.

The. Mayor said if they were going to make a change they should have a; public meeting of ratepayers to go into_ I:he‘que'-tion, and give them the Council’s I'e:asons for 11‘. aking it. :They must have something solid to "put before them.

Cl-. Reid ‘took ii: that the intexftiom was to have .asplj.alt of concrete. The loan proposals did not say what they wanted. ‘ ' The Mayor said ‘the Wzashing-Up Bill would be put tlmough at the end of the session, and the change,“ if carried, could he included therein. Cr. Reid said he had seen Mr Smithz who had advised them 'to have the request. in early. The question would eel-'fa'inly be asked by Parliament ifl the mandate of the people had been given for “the change. 5 Cr. Fookes did not think it neees-a sary to have a public meeting. A refer-4 endum would be very cheap, andvjusfi as efieetive. ‘ d

The Mayor ifiéisted tha’t: :a. public meeting sho‘uld be called, at ‘Which the case could be stated, and everything placed before the ra‘E'e'payers. Personally

he was not committed to~‘either mater-1 in]. He ghould like daita from engineers‘, He did not like. the “mall eaft the corner’’ type of opinion. He wantml to get ‘the poople’s conéent to makd the alteration. ,=.

Cr. Timbsf Well, Take. :1 referendum; V Cr. Tul'llbull was right ou‘-t for com crolte; it was more economical and beffer in other respects.

5 Ct. 'Culminghanle ‘did not see there Ewes any necessity for a public meeting. tThe data wanted Was, What does the‘. change mean in the extension of footw paths and what footpaths they prof posed doing‘. ’ 5. L The Ma}'or'gaid all this couldbe put} ‘before the meeting. They could Show tihc-W far the £I2OO saved would go, and tin what direction. Only one side (Icon-a tcrete) had been put before the loan} tmeeting. He was rather surpriseéfi the Council: was not in favour of at meeting, at which the wzfter supplyj question could also be discussed. He! moved that the words, “Referendum? ‘on 28th. inst." be struck out.

Cr. Reid said they could have _a.‘public m:>(‘~ting after ‘the referendum"; ( L-a.ughtel'.‘/ = ‘ After some further discussion; the I\Iayo1"g motion was put and lost, only} the mover and Cr. Reid voting for it-. .