NORTHCOTE MAIN HIGHWAY

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 210, 5 September 1928, Page 9

NORTHCOTE MAIN HIGHWAY

RECONSTRUCTION IN CONCRETE. EXPENDITURE OF £30,000 PROPOSED. As soon as final approval is given by the Main Highways Board to the programme of reconstruction in concrete of Lake and Onewa Roads, to the Takapuna and Birkenhead boundaries respectively, the Northcote Borough Council intends taking the necessary steps to place the proposals before a poll of the ratepayers to sanction a loan of nearly £30,000. The town clerk stated last night that the latest estimated expenditure was I £20,946 11/11 on Lake Road and £8322 10/10 on Onewa Road, the latter sum including £1000 for a new six-inch cast iron water main. Of this total of £29,269 2/9, the subsidy payable on approved work by the Highways Board would be £12,930 0/3, leaving an amount of £16,338 16/6 to be found by the ratepayers of Northcote, the special rate for interest and sinking fund being one penny in the pound on the unimproved value. Mr.' J. McEnnis, chairman of the No. 1 District Highways Council, wrote that the proposals for the reconsiruetion in concrete of Onewa and Lake Roads had been submitted to the Main Highways Board. The latter had advised that the Onewa Road proposals were satisfactory, though fuller details would be supplied of the estimated expenditure, which was considered heavy. Some modification was to be made in respect to the Lake Road scheme. The subsidy on both Onewa and Lake Roads, being in a borough, would be £1 for £1. It would be advisable for the council to finalise the question of financial arrangements, so that tenders could be called. Before acceptance of any tender they should be submitted to the Main Highway's Board.

The town clerk outlined the procedure and requirements precedent tip the loan poll. At least fourteen days' notice was needed by advertisement before the council could consider a motion to make application to the Local Government Loans Board for approval of the terms of the loan proposals, and to invite written objections thereto. The amount proposed to be borrowed, and the purposes of the loan, are to Instated. The fullest datta regarding the financial position of the borough is furnished to the Local Government Loans

Board, and details of the scheme and any objections thereto. The Treasury examines the financial side and thi; Public Works Department reports on the plans and estimates of the suggested works. After approval by the Loans Board, four weeks' notice by advertisement is required of the particulars of the proposed loan and then not less than fourteen days' notice of the actual poll. Summarised, the town clerk said the minimum time that must elapse before a poll could be taken after finality was reached with the Main Highways Board was ten weeks, and this did not allow for any intervening days between the several periods.