DIFFERENCE OVER MAKETU RIDING WORKS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume L, Issue 7957, 8 April 1922, Page 3

DIFFERENCE OVER MAKETU RIDING WORKS

-cmKAWA DEPUTATION pon wuts ON COUNTY COUNCIL

, fn .. ers j. A. Ball, G. H. Mends, a ' Parsley waited on the Kuranga County Council yesterkaJa * T?I the first speaker, wt there wire forty-five rateStat ! r d s hi the Pongakawa district fifteen settlers in the Rotorua Suntv who depended on the Sn anga County Council or a T i Ho referred to the Counto metal the follow- ® S nKce«* The Deviation first, Paengaroa Station Road second, i lyicGhie’s road third. Vhen tfwls on the Council the niiestion of metalling was conIJ 1 . 68 i the Council had fieedto the works in the followag nrrler- 0) Te-Puke-Paenga-in« Road.’ (2) McGhie’s Road, ■ and (3) Paengaroa Station Road. The depntelihn asked the Council “metal the Dev.atmn first. Mo f-hie's Tioad second, and the Paengaroa Station Road third The deputation considered that ' McGhie’s Road was the mam road and the Paengaroa Station , Road was a by-road. They have sixty settlers out in Pongakawa rto are dependent on McGh.es , Road as a mam road. It the : Council metalled McGhie’s Road and carried out other metalling , work on a part of the Pongakawa , Road they might be able to induce the Government to metal , the Swamp Road, which was , eight miles long. There was , already a metalled road to the ■ Paengaroa station and it was 1 only 200 or 300 yards longer than j a/ Paengaroa Station Road i which the Council now proposed t 0 metal. The deputation repre- j sented about sixty householders ] at the Pongakawa end who use i McGhic’s Road, and there were about twenty-five settlers who ] use the Paengaroa Station Road. ( Cr Vercoe had stated he would ( back the backblocks and Cr ( Grant had said he would look after Pongakawa, but they had I left Pongakawa out. < ; Mr Mends endorsed Mr Ralls ; remarks,- Personally, he thought i the scheme should be to get the j arterial roads done first, and the 1 by-roads afterwards. The Court- ] cil should have a comprehensive s scheme for the “main road right through the county. (Hear! j Hear!!)—He would like to see | McGbie’s Road pushed ahead, as ] ■ it was a main road. If the Coun- ; cil could give two roads he had ( no more to say. < MrPursley supported the two , previous speakers. The deputa- | tion would like to see the Devia- i tion done first, McGhie’s Road second, and ihe Paengaroa Sta- l tion Road third. They would also . .like to see something more done to the. Pongakawa roads, which i were in a bad state, i The Chairman pointed out that , the Council was now paying 15s < per day for labour as against 8s per day a few years ago and had not increased the rates. The loan was not a county loan but a i Riding loan. It seemed to him that the three members for Maketu Riding should be able to decide where the money was to be expended, and he would like to see the latter fix the matter up in compliance with the wishes of the Riding settlers. Mr Ball reiterated that the deputation represented sixty householders in the Pongakawa district and maintained that McGhie’s Road should come second on the list. The Chairman : We have an open mind outside the Maketu councillors, Mr Ball said the deputation wanted a fair deal. OrGritlin said he had not suggested that any of this particular loan be expended at Pongakawa. Cr Vercoe said the Council had decided that as the metal was at the Paengaroa station it should he used on the Paengaroa Station Road. He was prepared to do anything within reason. ?i CrGrant said he was net a member of the Council when the . vote on the loan was taken or when the other contracts were let. He understood that the loan was for the Tc Puke Road, part of McGhie’s Road, and the Paengaroa Station Road. There was a certain amount of metal at the Paengaroa station and as there was only a few chains to cart it, it was suggested that it be used on the Paengaroa Station Road. There was also metal at McGbie’s Crossing and it had been arranged that this metal would be pul on McGhie’s Road. There was no loan for any metallung at Pongakawa. He main* Dined that the Government should complete the Swamp Road. The Paengaroa Station Road was much used and there was not a worse road in the county in wet weather than the ; road from Paengaroa station to the Paengaroa township. After ram there were numerous pools on this road. It was only a short piece and should be metalled, as it was on the loan schedule. Besides the metal was handy at the station. They could not cart metal from the Paengaroa station to McGhie’s Road for less than three shillings per yard, •there were about 300 yards of metal at McGhie’s Crossing and this would be put on McGhie’s Road. Tenders had been called a nd he could not see how things could now be altered. The Conned would apply for a grant for . *-3iOOO to enable further metall- • ln S to he carried out. the Council adjourned for Mncheon. Upon resuming at two o’clock me debate was continued, the mmm ,i, ■ ; ■■■ • ■ ■

Pongakawa deputation being also present. Cr Griffin said Ihe majority of the ratepayers in the Riding were not in favour of the pioposal as adopted by the Council. He would like the Chairman and as many councillors as possible to visit Paengaroa and meet the ratepayers. He thought the ratepayers should have a say in the expenditure. He moved to the effect that tenders be held over for two of the contracts; that the ratepayers be interviewed by the Chairman'and as many councillors as possible ; and that the Council then decide as to the action to be taken.

Mr Page, in reply to a question by Cr Hu ne said fiat the two coniracts involved the cart ing of about 600 yards of metal. The metal available to be carted out would not be sufficient to complete either job.

Cr Grant contended that Cr Griffin’s proposal was out of order. It was nonsense to delay the tenders. The matter had been fully threshed out at the last meeting of the Council. Although McGhie’s Road benefited his property he preferred to see the metal go on the Paengaroa Station Road. ' McGhie’s Road was firm and hard and never cuts up. It was the best piece of unmetalled road in the county. He hoped tenders would be dealt with. If the ratepayers were not satisfied they should have sent in a petition and this had not been done, CrHume: What I dislike is calling tenders and then i.ot dealing with them. Cr Vercoe said it would be a mistake not to deal with the tenders. It was their intention to metal McGbie’s Road, and he wanted that (0 be made clear. He thought it would be poor policy to adopt Cr Griffin’s modon.

Cr Grant said that after dealing with the tenders there might be enough money to do further work on McGhie’s Road, Cr Gilmore said it seemed to him that it should be the greatest good for the greatest number- He supported the deputation. Cr Griffin advocated that McGhie’s Road should take precedence over the Paengaroa Station Road. At the present time there was a metalled road into the Paengaroa station. Seventy five per cent, of the ratepayers have a right to be considered.

The Chairman pointed out that tenders had been called. If they took all the 1 metal at McGhie’s crossing and the Paengaroa station it would .not complete either job. Under the circumstances it was a question whether it was advisable to hang up the work for which tenders had been called.

Mr Page said the metal must be removed from the station at an early date. Cr Griffin then altered his motion to read—That the Chairman and Council visit Paengaroa, inspect the locality, meet the ratepayers, lay the position before them, and that a vote at the meeting be taken. The motion was sea nded by Cr Collins and carried. Cr Hume : The Council will look silly. Cr Grant: This matter should have been brought forward by notice of motion. No member of the Council can spring a thing like that on the meeting. Tenders are now in.

The Chairman : After a motion has been put and carried I can not turn round and say a notice of motion is necessary Cr Grant contended that notice of motion should have been put in. He asked if he could move another motion regarding the matter.

The Chairman: Yes. Cr Grant: I move—That the resolution just passed be rescinded and that before any further steps are taken in regard to councillors and the engineer viewing the ground and meeting the ratepayers, that notice of motion be given to that effect. -Lapsed, no seconder. Cr Vercoe said the Council had been asked by the Public Works Department-to remove the metal from the Paeugaroa Station yard. He thought it would be a pity to hang up the contracts. If the Council thought it was the best policy to put the metal on McGhie s Road well put it there. He was quite, prepared to move an amendment to the effect that the metal which they intended putting on the Paengaroa Station Road be put on McGhie’s Road. The engineer pointed out that would mean the calling of fresh tenders. Cr Vercoe: We are all unanimous that McGbie’s Road should be done but we have not the metal or the money to do it.

Cr Lochhead supported the resolution as carried. The councillors could inspect the roads ami the tenders could then be dealt with. Cr Grant: Who is going to pay for taking the Council down? The Chairman: No travelling expenses are allowed for a thing like that-.

Cr Flume; What are we going to do with the tenders that aie in. Or Grant; It is an insult to those that have tendered. Wc are getting like children. I have never seen business conducted like it is on this Council. The Paengaroa Station Road is a mam road, it is down as a main road. . . Cr Vercoe ; It is the old original main road. . . Cr Grant : The Swamp Road is not a main road. It is, not completed. Cr Vercoe proceeded to move an amendment —That the metal in tim Paengaroa station yard be pul on McGhie’s Road, and that the engineer be authorised to make ar-