THE GORGE ROAD.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 288, 29 August 1908, Page 5

THE GORGE ROAD.

SLIPS AND DEBRIS. That perqnnial pource of trouble, the Man* p,watu Gcrge. Road, .was responsible for a, deputation to the .Hon, J. M'Gpwau (Minister in charge'of roads and bridges), yesterday. The deputation consisted of Messrs, W, T, Wpotl and Ross, M.P.'p, Burnetii (Mayor of Woedville) the chairman pf the Pfthifltua ant] Kairanga County Counoils, and others, Mr, Burnett said that tlje portion of the Gorge road about which the deputation had to pomplajii was ynder the iurisdiption of the Kairanga County Council, They com tended that the state of iho road was due largely to neglect in the past by the Kairanga Counoil, though it was admitted that that body had spent considerable sums &t various intervals, ' The dictum of the Gorge Bridge Commission was thstf; op the completion of tho bridge each local liody would ])ave to bear a certain proportion of the post pf maintaining tlie road, and thapo local bodies now desired that the'Kniranga County Council put -jt' in proper order before being handed oyer,. The Kairanga County had been invited to be represented at the present deputation to watoh proceedings, It was recognised that that body suffered hardship because the road was one tho Governtpent sbqpld maintain, and to that end they asked that the Government take over the present burden of putting it in prder op glyo Eiomo assistance, ' • M(\W, T, "Wood urgod that the road shpuld bp maintained by the Government, Though saddled with its tip-keep the Kairanga County Council had no land over which rates wero colleoted within six mile? of it, The pogj, tion was thus an anomaly, The Ojoya County lands intervened between them and the road. _ All' tho other local' bodies wero jn moro direct tpuch with the road than Kairanga, and yet they wished tho latter County to boar their burden! The Minister recognised tho anomalous position, and was prepared to recommend £. for £ subsidy, Tho Government, however, had no intontion of taking the road over. ]3e indicated that each local body shpuld contribute its share.