PAHIATUA REQUIREMENTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8486, 13 July 1907, Page 5

PAHIATUA REQUIREMENTS.

I DEPUTATION TO MINISTER OF j PUBLIC WORKS. {From Our Parliamentary Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. Mr Ross, Member for Pahiatua, introduced a deputation to the ActingMinister for Public Works, on Thursday, consisting of Messrs Hodgins (chairman) and Bolton (ex-chairman), of the Pahiatua County Council. The first request made was for a grant for the Makuri-Pongaroa Road. The deputation pointed out that the road was in very bad repair, and that about £I,OOO would be required to put it into proper order. Of this amount the County would find £SOO if the Roads Department would provide the balance. It was further stated that as the result of a commission that sat a few years rgo to apportion the cost of maintenance of this road the Akitia County Council was required to contribute 9ne-third. of the usual maintenance charges. Mr Ross urged upon the Minister the importance of something being done to assist the Council in this matter, as the road in question was in reality a main road along which mails were carried. The chairman next asked for a subsidy of £ for £ to assist the Council in bridging the Makuri Stream at Tylee's Ford, the estimated cost qf the bridge being£Boo. Mr Ross then asked that the Government should provide the funds necessary to shift a bridge that had been thrown across a stream at Matheson's some years ago to another and more suitable site. He stated that reports had been obtained both from the Roads Engineer and local engineers and all agreed that it was advisable to shift this bridge up the gully, and deviate road. He considered that as the local bodies were not responsible for placing the bridge in its present position, that in j fact it was placed there in opposi- j tion to their wishes, the Government should provide the £l,lOO necessary to make the road deviation and re-erect the bridge. The Minister, in reply, informed the deputation that he would give their different requests his careful consideration when the money available for public works expenditure was being allocated, but he must remind them that the applications already received for grants and subsidies for roads far exceeded the total amount that would be placed at his disposal and it was obvious that a certain amount of disappointment would be experienced when the public works estimates were brought down. Mr Ross thanked the Minister for his courteous reception of the deputation, and said that in his opinion the subsidy asked for in connection with the bridge at Tylee's Ford was much less necessary than the other items they had referred to. The chairman concurred in Mr Ross' opinion.

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