NEW PLYMOUTH STREETS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 55, 25 July 1914, Page 6

NEW PLYMOUTH STREETS.

NEW POLICY NEEDED. RETORT J3Y THE ENGINEER. At the last meeting of the Works Committee of the New Plymouth Borough Council the engineer (Mr. C. Skitrop) submitted a comprehensive report (in tin; question of streets. He stated that owing to constant wet weather several of the streets had broken up completely, and would require r-e-metal-ling this "coming summer. For years past the streets of New Plymouth had been very thinly metalled in order to economise metal. This had proved false economy, and the town was now reaping the consequences in miles of worn-out streets and roads. Of course, the engineer was Warned for allowing the streets to wear out, although lit! had no hand in their making. No doubt the whole cause of the trouble was lack of funds. A properly macadamised road, such as that portion of Devon street between Watson and ITobson streets, which was down on a foundation, would cost £3O per chain, and if treated witli Soltar every two or three years would last indefinitely. This class of road, treated with Soltar or other approved material, or a concrete road surface treated, was the only reasonable solution to the streets pronlem. While the town continued to lay down cheap streets for the sake of saving expense, bad streets would result. In the merged areas there was scarcely a street or road (except in St .Auhyn district) but what was worn out and would require re-metalling in the near future. The amount set aside each year for street purposes was not sufficient for ordinary maintenance, to say nothing of reinstating worn-out streets. This had been the position for years, lack of funds being responsible for a system of patching. The present state of the roads was the result of this system. The present Council and engineer were blamed unfairly for it. If the streets were to be laid down in a proper manner it would be costly, and he could- not see where the money was to come from. The following streets would soon have to lie remctalled:-

Powderham St., Dawson to Silver St 240 Dawson St., Powderham to Standish St 540 dill St.. Brougham to Cover St. .. 740 Staiulish St., Dawson St. to Wallace Place »(50 St. Anbyn St., Gill to Egmont Sts. 420 Oourteiiny St., Eliot to Cnrrio Sts. 720 Eliot St.. Devon to Cameron Sts. b'oo Liardet St., Lemon to Pendarves Sts 120 Brougham St., Devon to (Sill Sts. 240 Vivian St.. Robe to. Dawson Sts. .. 2-10 Olemow Road. /Parkin's -Stables to crusher site 2GO Devon St., Taylor's corner to WaiI wakaiho .' 100

Total £4700 These were not the only worn-out streets, but they were Hi-' worst of them, and would require attention this summer. Tukapa road, Brooklands road, Avenue road and several others were more or less worn out, and would be practically impassable next year if the next winter were as long and wet as this one. Had the winter not been "so bad the worn-out state of the streets and roads would not have been noticeable, except to those who had tested the thickness of the metal. Tie suggested a committee on the question of street construction and re-metalling. The matter was referred to a subcommittee, consisting of his Worship the Mayor and Crs. Kibby and Smith.