HUTT ROAD BOARD

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 246, 12 July 1921, Page 6

HUTT ROAD BOARD

CURRENT YEAR’S ESTIMATES. The Hutt Road Board met yesterday,' when there were present: Messrs. R. A. Wright (Mayor of Wellington), in the chair; E. P. Rishworth (Mayor of Lower Hutt), J. W. M'Ewan (Mayor of Pctone), ,1. Barclay (Hutt County Council), S. Bryant (Makara County Council), and Dunbar Sloane (Johnsonville Town Board). Tho city treasurer submitted a statement showing the expenditure for the last financial year, also the apportionment of that amount, with this year’s estimate added, amongst the contributing local bodies. The contributing bodies were in cnedit for the year ending March 31, 1920, as the actual expenditure did not reach the amount of the estimates. Tho credits were worked out this year. The estimate for the year 1920-21 was .£2200. but the expenditure reached .£3087 15s. Bd., an excess of £BB7 15s. Bd. Tim engineer’s estimate for 1921-22 was £3500, making tho total to bo raised £4387 15s, Sd. This was allocated ag follows among the contributing local I>odies: —Potone, £789 16s. Id.: Lower Hutt, £614 ss. 9d.; Eastbourne. £2l 18s. 9d.: Hutt County, £351 os. 5d.; Makara, £526 10”. 9d.; Johnsonville, £B7 15s. Id.; Upper Hutt, £54 16s. lid.; Wellington, £1941 Ils. lid. Tho city engineer reported that tho expenditure on tho road during tho year was made up ns follows:—Labour, £1457 9s.'; metal. £BB5 16s. Gd.: screenings. £299 8s ; binding material, £286 17r;. 6d.; miscellaneous work, £3O 11s. 9d.; rolling at £2 10s. per-day, £129 4s. sd. Referring to the estimate for tho current year, tho engineer stated that n number of the culverts under the road were blocked with detritus from the hills and the removal of such material was costly. The traffic over tho road wa» growing yearly. An endeavour had been made to keep the expenditure as low as possible, at the same time keeping the road in h serviceable condition, particularly as regarded its wearing surfaces. Since the previous estimate there had been considerable increases in tho cost of labour. l\fr. Barclay said flint tho Hutt Conntv’s apportionment of kne cost was very high, but ho, supposed this could not bo altered. . Mr Rishworth said that a great deal of tho heavy traffic, wont right through to Upper Tlnft. Mr. M'Ewan said that tho only way to save money was to reduce tho e.stimales. . The reports, as submitted, wore ndop.ed.