GOOD ROADS MEAN HATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 February 1921, Page 6

GOOD ROADS MEAN HATES.

PROBLEM IN EGMONT COUNTY. MEETINGS TO BE CALLED. In accordance with the recommendation of the works committee, the engineer to the Egmont County Council yesterday submitted an estimate of the plant required, including motor lorries, etc., so as to permit of road-making being carried out on up-to-date methods. The estimated cost was £7OOO. Cr. Ferguson said that when he joined the council he was not in favor of ' increasing the rates, but since he had been on the council he had come to the conclusion that if tin were to have up-to-date methods of road construction they had no option but to increase the rate. In reply to a councillor, the chairman said that they Were allowed to rate up to 3d. The difference between the present rate and 3d would find £4OOO per year. Cr. Trotter understood that the council intended going in for a special loan for the machinery, but councillors point/ ed out the difficulty o? obtaining money for special loans. Cr. Chapman considered that the ratepayers should be consulted as to whether they would sanction the machinery, and If sb, whether they would raise a loan to pay for it, or pay for it bv increased rates. There was not the slightest doubt that they must alter their system of road-making and go in for tar-sealing. It had been a drawback that they had had men on the council who had been against cars and tar-sealing. The only way to maintain roads now was to tar-seal them. He considered that meetings should be called. . ' The chairman said that he intended to call meetings on the question. He pointed out the difficulty of raising special loans now, and favored paying for the machinery by a rate spread over, say, o years. Cr. fosland said that the finances of the county would not allow them to buy motor lorries out of the genera) rate. Separate provision must be made for the purchase of the machinery, otherwise they would be on the financial rocks. _ ■ Cr. W. R. Wright said that the previous council had had the matter before them. He had had the offer of £7'5,000 from Melbourne at 5} per cent plus % exchange, but the Finance Minister would not allow them to pay more than 51 per cent. Now they could not get money for 6 per cent. Cr. Tosland moved that the council adopt the works committee report re machinery, etc., and that it be paid for by a special machinery rate. Cr. Ferguson seconded this. After some further discussion, the motion was withdrawn, the general feeling of the council being that the machinery should be paid for by increasing the general rate over a period of yeans.