PUBLIC WORKS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 January 1921, Page 6

PUBLIC WORKS.

PROVINCIAL REQUIREMENTS. DEPUTATIONS TO MINISTER. The Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister oi Public Works, and Postmaster-General, who arrived in New Plymouth on Friday night, was on Saturday waited upon by a number of deputations with various requests. At the commencement of the proceedings, the Mayor (Mr. F. E. Wilson), on behalf of the citizens, extended a welcome to Mr. Coates on his first visit to New Plymouth in the capacity of a Minister of the Crown. The President of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce (Mr. E. P. Webster) spoke in a similar strain. Business was then commenced, the speakers being introduced by the member for Taranaki (Mr. S. G. Smith). Provincial railway matters were discussed, and are reported elsewhere.

WAITARA - TE KUITI ROAD. A request that the Department do something towards improving the North Road between Waitara and Te Kuiti was mafle on behalT of the Chamber of Commerce, by Mr. W. J. Penn. The Hon. Mr. Coates inquired if the road was an arterial one, and the speaker replied that he did not think there could be any argument on this point. It was the only roadway to connect the two provinces of Auckland and Taranaki. Very little progress had been made on the road. Every Minister of Public Works had been over there, and also other Ministers, and all admitted the great importance of opening up the communications. Mr. Penn pointed out that Mt. Messenger for a great part .of the year was impassable for motor traffic and difficult for horse vehicles. He understood that the Awakino mail service was one of the most expensive that the Postal Department had to maintain because of the extreme difficulty of getting through in winter time. The postal department would save a considerable sum if the road were put in order. Then there was the question of bridging the Mokau River. Mr Penn pointed out that the lack of a bridge was a great hindrance to traffic. With the present ferry tolls had to be paid by vehicles, and also for sheep and cattle, but the Chamber was of opinion that if a bridge was put up the people using it would willingly pay as much toll as at

present, if not more, for the sake of crossing the river more easily. The tolls collected would go a long way towards paying interest on the cost of the bridge and for the maintenance of the road. Replying, the Minister said he would be pleased to do all he could in the direction mentioned. He pointed out that questions like these depended a great deal on how much money was available, and on the supply of labor and material. The greatest difficulty had been with material, especially in connection with cor-ent for bridges, but the position was now improving, both in regard to imported cement and that locally manufactured. He would be going over the route next day, and would reply to the Chamber later. THE MT. EGMONT QUARRY A subject that has frequently been before the Department is' the question of re-opening the Mt. Egmont quarry, and the chief difficulty of late has been in regard to the guarantee of a minimum purchase by local bodies. The DeI partment require a demand for 60,000 yards, at least, before re-opening.

The chairman of the New Plymouth Harbor Board (Mr. Newton King), in urging on the Minister the necessity for re-opening the quarry, said that another solution had presented itself in connection with securing purchasers for the stone. He said that investigations by the Board's engineer had shown that there was stone at the quarry eminently suitable* for harbor works, and the New Plymouth Board would take any quantity if the price was suitable. There was also a possibility that the Wanganui Harbor Board would take some of the stone. What was wanted was an estimate of the cost, delivered at Waipuku. Mr. Coates admitted the need of an ample supply of stone for the province. He informed those present that an engineer from the Department (Mr. Cowl) would be arriving in England in a few days, his business being to secure quotations of up-to-date machinery for the quarries at Mt. Egmont, and cable out his recommendations. The Minister remarked that the Department had circularised Taranaki local bodies, asking what amount of stone they would require, but the replies were very disappointing. He pointed out that they did not want an absolute guarantee of how much metal a borough or county would take, but asked in good faith for an estimate of what metal was likely to be used before embarking on the expenditure of re-opening the quarry It was a matter of expending between forty and sixty thousand pounds. Mr. Coates promised to “obtain from the District Engineer an estimate of what the metal could be delivered for.

PARININIHI ROAD TUNNEL. A deputation from the Clifton County Council and Taranaki Farmers’ Meat Company sought the Minister’s sanction for a subsidy in connection with the Parininihi road tunnel at Pukearuhe, through which there is a great deal of stock traffic. The speakers were Messrs. R. H. Piggott (chairman of the Clifton County Council), and Mr. J. T. Quinn (chairman of the Farmers’ Meat Company). j It was pointed out that the tunnel was used as a. stock route for all sheep : and cattle coming from the Waitomo and Awakino counties. If it were put in order it would be of use in diverting cattle from the main road, and where Mt. Messenger was metalled would thus save maintenance. It was a shorter route by seven miles than via Mt. Mes--1 senger. Mr. Piggott said that the Clifton County Council had been maintaining the tunnel, but the burden was becoming too heavy, though they were still willing to contribute a share. Mr. Quinn said that last year 1'7,000 sheep and 1700 cattle for his company came from the district, ancl there was also another company doing similar business, making the traffic considerable. In reply to the Minister, the deputation said that the present subsidy of ,£875, which had already been author-

ised, would not be sufficient. Mr. Coates promised to obtain u report from his engineer, and inform the member for the district (Mr. Jennings) of the result..