METAL FOR ROADS.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 April 1922, Page 7

METAL FOR ROADS.

.SEEKING SUPPLIES. POSITION IN TARANAKI, The supply of metal for road works came in for considerable discussion at the annual meeting of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce. Mr. R. Masters, M.P., said he noticed that the Chamber was drawing attention to the fact that nothing was being done to open up Mount Egmont quarry, but he thought it ought to be pointed out to the people of Stratford and Taranaki that the Government had not been negligent as far as the opportunity to obtain metal was concerned. The Public Works had initiated a scheme at Te Wera for metal, and he could say that the metal was going to cost those who desired to have it much less than if it had to be obtained from Mount Egmont. The overhead charges for Mount Eg- ' mont made it impossible to quarry it there and supply it at a reasonable rate. The working conditions were such that it was not possible to work more than seven or eight months in the year, and that was approximately stating the position. They must remember that capital to the amount of £72,000 had been sunk in it in 1917, so that it was easily to be seen that the overhead charges were very heavy. In view of the fact that local bodies did not back up the Government with guarantees of the amount of metal they would* take, he felt that they had done the proper thing in opening up Te Wera. With an expenditure of £lO,OOO on the development of the pit at Te Wera, local bodies would be able to secure ample supplies, and at a very much less cost than from Mt. Egmont. He had been informed that the comparison worked out as follows:

Mr. W. P. Kirkwood: What about the quality of the metal?

Mr. Masters said it satisfied the Public Works officers, and was as good as could be desired. It was not ordinary shellrock as most people knew it, but the finest he had seen. It had been accepted by the Department. When they took into consideration the difference that the cost of the metal would mean to the Whanga. County it would be seen that two miles in Te Wera metal could be put down for the cost of one in Egmont metal. That means a great deal to the country settlers in the hackblocks. Mr. Masters said he had seen the metal at Kerr and Gwilliam’s at Tahora, and it was very fine metal, but as compared to Te Wera it would require a great deal of money to put it on the roads here, and all the advantages of securing metal during the next few months and a plentiful supply rested with the Te Wera pit, and he believed the very best decision had been corner to by the Department in deciding to open it up.

Mr. McMillan said the overhead charges on the Egmont quarry would have to be met whether they got the metal or not. If the overhead charges could be wiped off they would be on a

good wicket by getting stone from. Egmont. At present it would not pay the Borough Council to get metal from Te W era. Mr. Masters: Then how about the Egmont quarry ? It would be alright if the Government took off the overhead charges, said Mr. McMillan. Mr. Richards asked why the £72,000 capital cost of the Egmont quarry could not be wiped off, which, he believed, would supply a better class of metal. It was overdrawing the case to say that the Egmont quarry could only be worked 7 or 8 months in the year while the Te Wera could be worked 12 months. Mr. W. P. Kirkwood said it was a scandalous waste of money to spend £72,000 on the opening of the EgmoriT quarry and then to find out that the overhead charges were too heavy. In regard to the Stratford-Okahukura railway Mr. Kirkwood said despite the Government policy of stopping the conistruef ion work at Tahora the chamber should not let the matter rest here. The Taranaki Chamber and other bodies in the north were stirring, and the Stratford Chamber should co-operate. In reply to Mr. Richards, Mr. Masters said the Government geologists had expressed the opinion that the Tangarakau metal was good, but this was of no use if the Government would not advance money to develop it. IJe thought the metal question in Taranaki needed ventilating and certainly the Tangarakau metal should be tried. Mr. Macalister said that at the banquet tendered to the Taranaki Chamber in the Ohura, Mr. List had. said the cost of completing the Ohura Road as compared with the cost of completing the railway would be small. As there was no prbspect of getting a railway in a reasonable time they should turn their attention to getting the road metalled ifirst, and in this they would get the support of all local bodies in Taranaki. At the same time they should still press for the completion of the railway.

Guarantee Egmont Te Wera 60,000 sq. yds. annually 13.6 7.6 45,000 14.0 8.4 30,000 16.3 9.1 25,000 18.0 9.6 20,000 20.0 10.4 15.000 23.0 ii.a