BACKBLOCK ROADS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 219, 16 September 1938, Page 11

BACKBLOCK ROADS.

REQUESTS FOR METALLING. COUNCIL INUNDATED. Receipt of many letters from backblock ratepayere asking for metalled roads resulted in a discussion on the subject at to-day's meeting of the Waitemata County Council. Mr. Stanley Phillips, chairman of the council, stated that he was inundated with letters, the ratepayers no doubt having in mind the details of the fiveyear plan inaugurated by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, whereby he undertook that all farmers' roads would be metalled within the prescribed po; '.rtd. "The latest development is that in many cases they have written direct to the Minister, who in turn has written to the council through the district engineer asking that relief be given." said Mr. Phillips. "This is impossible. The council can only work to its budget." The chairman said that the sum of £100.000 had been authorised for the Scenic Drive through the Waitakeree, which was purely a tourist road, and this amount would' probably metal all the roads in the county that needed attention.

Keference was also made to the fact that no new money had been provided on the Parliamentary Estimates, although it had been appiied for to subsidise the metalline of baekblock roads in the county. Mr. Phillips said further that loan advances promised by Ministers through the State Advances Corporation had not materialised, the plea now being advanced that unforeseen circumstances had arisen. The only deduction to be drawn was that the Government was short of fund* he declared.