ROAD METALLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 193, 15 August 1936, Page 16

ROAD METALLING.

EXCESSIVE COST.

"OUTRAGEOUS," SAYS MEMBER.

(By Telegraph. —Own Correspondent.) WHANG ARE I, Friday.

Criticism of what was described as the outrageous cost of spreading metal on the McLeod's deviation was expressed by members of the Whangarei County Council to-day. The district engineer wrote stating that the formation and metalling of the deviation, which is on the Lake Omapere-Whangarei main highway, had been completed at a cost of°£lo24, of which the council was to contribute one quarter and to undertake the responsibility of future main tenance. The cost had been made up as follows:—Contract for quarrying, crushing and carting of metal. £7oG; spreading £219; and rolling, £48. The distance was 54 chains. Mr F Elliott (member for Hikurangi' Riding) : The cost of spreading, which is practically a third of that of the metal, is altogether excessive. The Chairman: It is outrageous. Spreading should cost no more than 4d a yard at the most. It is difficult to know how such a large sum came to be spent under that heading, especially as the move metal is put on the less the spreading should cost. Mr. J. H. Hay ward: The figures are quite out of proportion, and it appears that a mistake has certainly been made. Mr. Elliott: The spreading costs are out of all reason. I move that the Department be again communicated with to ascertain how the excessive spreading cost came about, and to whom the money was paid. The motion was carried.