RICCARTON ROAD.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19690, 6 August 1929, Page 8

RICCARTON ROAD.

"COST OF RECONSTRUCTION. LARGER SUBSIDY REFUSED. A subsidy on the basis of £8 for £1 has been refused by the Main Highways Board for the reconstruction of Riccarton road. At the meeting of the Borough Council last evening, a letter was received from Mr F. Langbein, Main Highways Board's representative on the District Highways Council, saying that on the occasion of the visit of the Minister for Public Works to Christchurch in May last a deputation from the Riccarton Borough Council waited on him with a view to obtaining a subsidy of £3 for £1 towards the cost of reconstruction of the Riccarton Borjugh section uf the Christchurch-Dunedin Main Highway. "I havß now been advised," Mr Langhein added, "that the Board at a recent meeting discussed the matter and regrets it is unable to approve of the application, but adheres to the usual subsidy of £ for £. Dealing with the references to the Kaiapoi Borough Council the Board points out that there are special circumstances existing in the case of Kaiapoi which do not exist in the case of Riecnrton, and it was because of these special circumstances that the Board agreed to pay £3 for £1 to the Kaiapoi Borough Council. Furthermore, tfie payment of £3 for £1 in the case of the Kaipoi Borough Council is not regarded by the Board as a precedent for the payment of similar subsidies to other boroughs. ... If the Board were to regard this as a precedent its policy would be seriously disturbed so far as construction in boroughs is concerned, and its financial position would have to be entirely reviewed.'' I Cr. W. Machin said that all of the 'arguments that applied _in the case of Kaiapoi borough applied with redoubled force in the case of Riccarton. It was decided to refer the matter to the Mayor (Mr H. S. S. Kjle, M.P.), who is at present in Wellington.