THAT DANGEROUS CORNER.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1916, Page 2

THAT DANGEROUS CORNER.

THE COUNCIL'S POSITION At the meeting of the Taranafci C'euiitv Council yesterday, Cr. Mortoif explained at some length the negotia-. tions that had taken place 'between the Council and Mr. Marsh in connection with the acquiring of a small portion of llr. Marsh's property, with a view to improving the corner. Cr. Morton stated that since last meetipg a fatal tnotsr-cnr accident had occurred at the Corner, and some days later a report tvas published in the Xews of an interview with Mr. Marsh, the owjier of the land. • As some of the statements appeared to be contrary to fact, he would like to put on record the actual facts. With tile chairman and engineer' he had met Mr Marsh by appointment at the corner. Mr. Marsh was asked, if lie would be prepared to give or sell 1 to the Council a strip of land—2o feet each way—at right angles from the actual corner. This meant an actual total .area of*2oo square feet. The Council offered at its own cost to remove and re-erect the fence and the 'barberry hedge 011 the new line. They were not'nsking for the land with the object of altering the road line, but they .wished to. cut down the bank, which at this point was 7ft. or Bft. high, and thus clear an obstruction, which interfered with the view of the road. Mr.. Marsh asked £4 for this piece. The actual area was 200 square feet, and as any school child could.calculate, this worked out at £StiS- 13s- 4d per acre. The Government valuation of the whole farm of 110 acres was only £1022. They considered they were not justified in paying this price, particularly as, in addition, they had to pay for the survey and the deeds and cost of fencing. A statement was made that Mr. Marsh would lose considerable frontage. This was not so; in fact, .the removal of the awkward corner should improve the frontage. Mr. Marsh Vrould have practically the same frontage. This corner did not give Mr. Marsh access to his land. Cr. Morton contrasted the action of the properly owner in this case with that of some Maoris at Okato, who freely gave, the Council the land necessary to improve a right, angle corner at Okato, where there was nothing to intercept the view. He also gave a further instance in the Mangorei Riding, where the owner voluntarily gave the Council permission to cut down the bank to improve a corner. Mr. Marsh had suggested that he had been blamed for the accident. Cr. Morton did not know anyone had blamed Mr. Marsh; in fact, in this case, the councillor did not think the accident was due to the dangerous comer. The chairman corroborated Cr. Morton's statement.

O. Morton t'nen referred to the necessity of effecting some improvement at the corner. There had been several accidents at that place, and he thought that tlie grade on rounding the corner was too sharp. If lowered some six feet .t would considerably improve the road. He therefore moved that the engineer lie instructed to report on the cost of re-grading tlie road, so that it may be lowered to a depth of 0 feet opposite Mr. Marsh's gate. This was seconded by the chairman and carried.