HUTT RAOD

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2368, 26 January 1915, Page 6

HUTT RAOD

IN URGENT NEED OF REPAIRS. The condition of the Hutt Road was the subject of some discussion at last night's meeting of tho City Council, when tho correspondence included a letter from the Chief Engineer of the New Zealand Railways to the City Engineer drawing attention to the urgent necessity for attending to tho drains and culverts. The letter pointed out,that in ovent of heavy rains it was more than' Kkely that damage would result to the railway linos, and the City Council would probably be liable for any damago resulting from the condition of the drains on the road. "The road surface," stated the letter, "which is in parts worn down to tho stone bottoming is constantly getting, worse. I think it is much to be regretted that the road which was left in first-class order, by the Railway Department should have been allowed to deteriorate, especially as the cost of reinstatement .will be much in excess of the comparatively small maintenance expenditure which would have sufficed to keep the surface good." In placing the letter before the council, the City Engineer expressed himself as being in agreement with the statements contained therein, and went on to say: "Whilst on this matter I desire to draw attention to- the immense amount cf damage which this road is sustaining from '-the great speeds at which motor vehicles are. driven over same. During the last week I have seen ono of the heaviest motor vehicles driven over this road at a speed of about 60 miles per hour, and from the way in which the Toad surface was disturbed it could plainly be seen how unsuitable the ordinary macadam construction is for such traffic. The sooner arrangements are made to properly control tho road and put same in order, and also to limit the speed of vehicles, the better. The cost of putting this road in proper order will be considerable and the workshould be put in hand at the beginning of the autumn."

Councillor Fitzgerald opened a discussion on the correspondence, drawing attention to the very unsatisfactory state of the road between Thorndon and. Ngahanranga, and councillors generally made an attack upon the local bodies responsible for the.holding up of the work necessary to put the road in order again. Councillor Barber condemning one borough in particular for its efforts to make roads uncomfortable for motorists.

. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) said he was never in all his life so lired of being associated with anything as he was of being associated with this matter. He had seen Mr. Hemes and he was going to wait on Mr. Herdman tomorrow. The matter had been left in the hands, of thoso two Ministers. The City Council was prepared to undertake the work immediately, and all that it wanted was to be indemnified against payment of the amounts for which other local bodies were responsible. Several cowncillors suggested that the whole council should wait on the Government in connection with the matter, but in view of the remarks of the Mayorthe matter was held over, pending his further interview with ' tho authorities.