A ROAD BOARDS SELF-HELP.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 October 1917, Page 8

A ROAD BOARDS SELF-HELP.

(By "Tahi Ilereni"). Some few years ago the Moa Road Board resolved to manufacture such concrete pipes as if required for the roads under its care. At first the work was done on land rented from Mr J. Tarry, but more recently a site on the north bank of the Ngatoro stream was purchased, on which a building for the storage of cement, etc., has been erected, and here the Board has been able to produce not only all the reinforced concrete pipes it required for its own use, but hi some eases to supply the requirements of the Taranaki County Council, as well as of private settlers. In many respects the action of the Board, in undertaking to supply its own requirements has proved satisfactory, but it has been found that the distance of the site from the Board's ofliee entails a good, deal of expenditure of time that under, other circumstances could be avoided; in fact, so much so that it is tan open question whether when the time spent owing to the distance between the otfice and the pipe making site is taken into account does not more than make up for the gains on the other side, at any rate now that the Road Board has got the nucleus of a road-making plant in the shape of a steam road roller, it will no doubt be found desirable to get a more central site where the making of pipes can be carried on, as well as a depot found for the board's general plant and it does not appear unreasonable to suppose that such a place could be found near to the borough of Inglewood, which means nearer to the board's as well as the post and telegraph offices. The fact is that with the office and the pipe-mak-pig establishment separated as they ara the work cannot be done so economically nor so satisfactorily as might otherwise be the case, and it behoves the rate« payers to call on the board to take some tseps to make as many good points at possible in the conduct of this undertaking, which undoubtedly could be made a substantial asset to the district.