THE JUNCTION ROAD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 331, 5 March 1910, Page 2

THE JUNCTION ROAD

COST OF UPKEEP. CLIFTON COUNTY REFUSE TO CONTRIBUTE. : PROCEEDINGS TO~BE INSTITUTED. , At the Clifton County Council meeting yesterday the following letter was received from Mes'srs. Govett and Quilliam, solicitors to the Taranaki County Council: — "We are instructed by the Taranaki County Council to take proceedings against your Council under section 109 of the Public Works Act, 1908, to obtain a contribution of £SO a year towards the cost of maintaining the Junction Road west of the Waitara river, and before such proceedings are taken it is necessary to show that every step has been taken to bring about an amicable settlement, and there must be an absolute refusal oa the part of the I Clifton County Council. With regard to the policy of such contributions,., we think very few public bodies would be I found to approve of it, but the la\? is quite clear and must be carried out, (even though it would have been much better if it had never been passed. It is' obvious, even without the tally kept by the Taranaki County Council, that this 'road,' in the words of the Act, is 'largely used by or for the purpose of traffic to or from any other district,' and there seems to be every reason to j suppos'e that a contribution such as Is f applied for will be ordered, and in particular there have been cases in the South Island on all fours with the present. It is qtate certain that the costs of the enquiry will be expensive, and, whatever the result, probably both parties will have to pay their own costs; and there is, of cours'e, the possibility that if the refusal is considered absolutely unreasonable, your county might be ordered to pay the double costs. In a provincial district such as Taranaki, where good roads are a vital necessity, it is a pity that money s'hould be wasted in litigation that would represent so much good crushed metal. We have therefore to request your Council to reconsider the whole question, and, should they come unfortunately to the conclusion that they must refuse, we would ask that the refusal should be made in absolute and unmistakable terms, in which case no time will be lost in bringing the matter to an 'issue." The chairman stated they had had this matter before them on a previousoccasion, and had„ declined to contribute. He thoroughly endorsed the opinion expressed in the second paraI graph re the policy of such contributions; while in some cases it was reasonable, yet its wide application made it ridiculous. He moved, "That, while ■ fully endorsing the opinion expressed in the second paragraph, this Council adIheres to its' previous decision that it will not voluntarily make a contribution towards the upkeep of the Junction Road west of the Tara'ta bridge." Cr. O'Sullivan fully endorsed the ! chairman's remarks. | Mr. Dowset said it was ridiculous, and would not bear investigation. They might easily start a chain which I would have no end. Cr. O'Su'uivan said that the people in the Clifton portion of the road were now paying interest on a loan raised i and spent on the Junction Road in what was now the Taranaki portion. | Cr. Sander seconded the motion. I The chairman said that the Tarata ■ 'people now had a good road, at least in summer, direct to Waitara. A lot \ of wool had been carted to Waitara ; . this year, and with a little more lm--1 provement all the wool would be carted [ on it. ' Cr. Kennington asked would that refusal be clear enough. Some time ago , the Taranaki County Council threatL ened to erect tollgates, but now they > were adopting this attitude. Person- • ally he thought they had some claim }on this Council, provided they treated I Stratford and other counties' in the isame way. A lot of traffic came I through the Taranaki County from '! other counties "besides Clifton. fc i The motion was carried.