"WHERE WILL IT END?"

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8147, 3 July 1906, Page 2

"WHERE WILL IT END?"

COUNTY COUNCIL ASSISTING ROAD BOARDS. As predicted by Councillor F. Julian at the June meeting of the Taranaki County Council, when financial assistance was granted to the Fraukley, Carriugton, and Eliot Road Boards, there were further applications this month. On Monday, Messrs Alfred George (Chairman of the Barrett Road Board), J. C. Dayies, Stanley Shaw. .T C. George, D. McAllum, and T. K. Skinner, ratepayers in that district, waited on the Council, and asked to be treated in the same manner a? the local bodies above-mentioned.

Mr Alfred George was the first speaker, and pointed to the increasina valuation of the Barrett road district abutting on the New Plymouth borough. Whilst this was heaping up, and the county rates was growing in proportion, the cost ef maintenance of the Main South road remained stationary, whilst the volume of traffic passing over it from the Barrett road rating area was becoming less as its own roads were opened up. He did not think the district should contribute £l4O a year for the maintenance of a mile of road.

Mr Stanley Shaw also spoke. The Council had shown a disposition to help local bodies, and the deputation was ot opinion it had a stronger claim on the Council's finances than the Frankloy and Carrington Road Boards had. The length of County roads used by the bulk of the ratepayers iu the Barrett road district was very small. Another matter to be considered was that the Board's road (the Belt road) was very extensively used by County ratepayers, especially for cattle traffic. The southern portion of the road district was valued at about £140,000, and ratepayers there used the Oounty roads very little. He considered the claim now made was a strong one, fair and equitable. Cr. Andren s: How much do you waut ?

Mr Shaw Half the subsidy on our rates. Mr Shaw also referred to the straitened circumstances of the Board, which had to scrape and strive, in order to " make both ends meet." Mr McAUum followed, pointing out that the Board had to maintain bridges out of its ordinary revenue The ratcI payers were now pledged to a loan of £ISOO for extending Devon road, and this would relieve the County road of a considerable amount of traffic. Cr. Brown: We pay three or four specials out our way. Mr J. C. George emphasised the fact that the southern portion of the road district was cut up into smaller areas than any other suburban land. The Chairman said that the granting of the request, or otherwise, was only a matter of finance. The Omata Riding, in which this district was situated, was now receiving a, large amount of expenditure in order to facilitate access to the town. If all these requests for money wore complied with, the County roads must go short. Mr J. C. George : "Well, Mr Chairman, it seems that Tom and Harry can come m and get their share, but if poor old Dick come along last he gets nothing, even if he is the hungriest of the three."

Cr Stevens : But if Dick comes in after the cake's all eaten, what then ? Mr A. George said that failing assistance from the Council, the southern portion of the Barrett road district would probably be merged in the New Plymouth borough. At present the Board paid to the County £7O l: to the borough it would be only £SOO. When the toll-gates were abolished tliore was some talk of a differential rate ; but Mr Sam Hill settled that. The deputation I hanked the Council and withdrew. A petition from ratepayers in the Moa road district, asking for assistance m keeping open the Richmond and Wortler and Lincoln roads was read. Cr Brown was in favor of granting assistance here, even apart from precedent. But it appeared to him that they were "going to havo all the blessed road boards in the district at the Council this year." He was not influenced by the threat to merge into the borough. "If they want to go let tliera go. We're not here to run their shows, but to do the county work, and not to deal out subsidies to road boards. We'll have to treat them all alike now—but never more." Cr Adlam said ho* would have been more careful if he had known as much last month as he did now. Cr Julian : Ah ! Told you so. The Moa Road Board petitioners were granted £2O. A proposal was made to refund £7O to the Barrett Road Board. The clerk (to tho chairman, sotto voice): When arc all these to be paid ? Our overdraft is itn to £3OOO now. Cr Andrews said it was impossible to shell out now. It was decided to grant the Barrett Road Board £1!) 10s 2d, the amount of their subsidy, the chairman intimating he would support no more of this sort of thing. " Where will it end ? " It was jeopardising county finance.