MAIN ROAD REPAIRS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 April 1918, Page 3

MAIN ROAD REPAIRS.

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL EXPENDITURE. METALLING,. TAR SEALING & TAR GROUTING. At yesterday's meeting of the Taranaki County Council n return was presented by the county clerk (Mr. R. Ellis) showing the cost of metalling on Perth Jtoad, and the cost of tar-scaling on Devon Road (Wftitara Riding), and targrouting at South Road (Omata Riding). The returns arc as follows:

Metalling Perth Road. —Relating 10 chains of metalled road (102 yards) £2O 0s (id; metalling 52 chains of umnetiilled road (S2O yards) £lOl 10s 7d, plant charges, crustier and rolling, water cart charges, coal, etc., £3O 13s; total, ,-C 184 10.) Id. The plant charges are for the whole time occupied on the road, a portion of which is recoverable from Mr. Sole, for whom 102 yards was put through the machine. A noteworthy fact ia that the crusher crushed 10j days, and averaged 110 yards per day, the maximum being on February 27, 134 yards. Tar-sealing Devon Road (Waitara Riding).—Labor £O3 10s 6d, .shingle £llO 13s Od, tar £237 2s Od, freight and cartage £5-1 10s 3d, fuel £8 18s, hire horse broom £3 12s; total £SOB 10s Od. Length "of road (two coats), 03 chains. Tar-grouting South Road, Spotswood (OmaU Ridingl.—Labor £93 lis Id, chips £IOO os, shingle £44 4s, tar £447 K ; s 4d, cartage £2l 4s lid, fuel £l3 10a, railway freights £77 17s 9d; total £BOI 15s Id. Length of road tar-grout-ed, T'iJ chains. Memo. —Metal used, yard* at 10s Od, £457 0s ;>1; spye.-.dir's wages, £l4 lis Od.

The chairman said the cost was greater than had been hoped, and it was evident that if the council was going ly/ have tarred roads it would have to secure a more modern plant for the purpose. The cost was much more than to other counties, where there were up-to-date plants. Cr. ik'Allum said the council would soon have to consider seriously a comprehensive scheme, embracing the raising of a loan for the purpose of tar-sealing the whole of the county main roads. Cr Lawrence said Government permission should be sought to erect toll gates on the main roads. He did not think the ratepayers would object to that method of raising revenue for the maintenance of main roads. x Cr. Simpson said they would have to have something pretty 'good to put before tlie ratepayers, especially 011 the side roads, before they would consent to a loan for the tar-sealing of main roads. He thought the only solution would be for the Government to take over the control of all main arterial roads. The farmers were not going to make flash roads for motorist visitors. Cr. AtcAUum said he was the first to advocate the tar-scaling of the county roads, and that was four years ago, and oven now they had only been experimenting. He preferred that concrete roads should be made. The work could be done gradually, and in the course of a few years there would be permanent roads through the county, which would cost practically nothing for upkeep. Cr. Wooldridge: Beginning in the Omata Riding, of course. Cr. McAllum: He's trying to be funny. 1 can tell you the only man on the council with progressive ideas is myself (General laughter.)