URUTI ROAD LOAN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 63, 1 August 1912, Page 7

URUTI ROAD LOAN.

SETTLERS OBJECT TO CONTRIBUTE. MAGISTRATE DECIDES IX TIIEIR FAVOR. EuriluT evidence was taken at New Plymouth yesterday morning before Mr A. Crooke, S.M., in connection with the objection raised by four landowners on the Tangitu saddle to being included in a special rating area prescribed by the Clifton County Council, in connection with a proposed loan of £IOOO to put I about two miles_ of metal on the Uruti road, at the junction of the Uruti and Moki roads. Mr A. 11. Johnstone appeared for the objectors (Messrs J. H. Slight, W. A. Bone, J. Hay, and \V. A. Millar) whose evidence had already been heard at Waitara. The Clifton County Council was represented by Mr. J. E." Wilson, and three witnesses were called on its behalf. The evidence traversed in the main the contention of the. objectors that they would get no benefit from the work, as the metalled road did not go ae far as their properties. It was, the abactors held, out of all reason to ask Settlers living on a (ift bridle track to contribute towards the cost of a metal road which tliev eould not use, so far as vehicular traffic was concerned. They were, they urged, in a habit of using, not the Uruti, but the Kiore road on the other side of the Tangitu saddle. On the other hand, the council endeavored to show that some of the objectors lia<l been ut.ing the. Uruti road in preference to other outlets, and that even though they might not receive any immediate benefit from the loan.works, it was only a question of time before they would be immensely benefited through the road over the Tangitu saddle being diverted and a 12ft road being »on- i liected with the Uruti Road. Evidence was given by O. T. Murray, Resident Road Engineer for the Public ; Works Department, that it would not be ' practicable to widen the bridle track I over the Tangitu saddle into a 12ft road, i As an alternative, he had in 1007 recom- i mended the Government to reduce the distance over the saddle to the extent of 1 y., miles by deviating the. track, and also constructing a tunnel. This would reduce the height of the track from 880 to €OO feet. If funds were available the i 12ft road would be extended from the Uruti Road to where it was proposed to I cut the tunnel. It was, however, very | hard to say if the suggested deviation would be carried out. J Cross-examined by Mr Johnstone, witness said that if the proposed deviation ' was put in hand, practically speaking the whole of the objectors would have a good road on the other side of the saddle to Uruti, via the Kiore (not the Uruti) road. It did not follow, if the deviation was made, that the Government wDuld pay for the whole of it. Even then the objecting owners would still be on Oft tracks from the Uruti end. In his opinion, they received very little benefit.' from the. existing metalling on the Uruti-1 side of the saddle, seeing that they could I not get vehicular traffic on it. At the I present time they were better served by the Kiore Road. The ratine; area proposed by the Clifton County Council was J far too big for the loan, although (as lie ' subsequently admitted to Mr Wilson) the ' cost to individual owners would, thereby be 'proportionately reduced. ; Charles P. Douglas, engineer to the Clifton County Council, gave, evidence, to the effect that as . the present bridle track over the Tangitu Saddle was too 1 dangerous to be widened to a ]2ft road, the objecting settlers would have to depend'upon'the 1 track being .deviated and connected with' the Uruti Road. This, he. contended , disposed of their contention that the present metalling would not 'be rif an advantage tt> them. They had already benefited by the erection of a bridge, near the foot of the Uruti side of the saddle. 11. E. Vaughan, clerk to the Clifton County Council, said the council had 1 been, approached by a-nuniber of settlers, including some of the objecting owners, to.ask the Oovcrmnent for a grant to deviate the. Uruti road to the Tansitn Sa'd'idle. This would be to the objectors' 1 benefit, whose present outlet was through Uruti. 1 To Mr Johnstone: He could not say with any exactness which road the objectors used, tliough he thought the majority travelled In* way of the Uruli ltoad. Assuming that, the objectors were excluded from the special nttinw arsa, the remaining cohtribut'ur.is' would be increased by one-twenty-fourth of a penny in . tin; £'. • In stating that the objectors' contentions would li-e uplield. and their names struck off the special rating list, the magistrate said that at present they could not get on to the Uruti Road, towards the cost of viiic'; they were being asked to contribute. The only chance of it being any use to Hum lay in the construction of a deviation ami tunnel, but it was purely problematical to presume that this work would be carried out. The objecting owners were within two miles of a good road which was being built not towards Uruti, but Kiore. 'and it would shortly be extended up to their properties. Under the circumstances, it would be unjust and inequitable to force them to contribute to the Uruti Road.