NGAHAURANGA TO PORIRUA

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 254, 10 July 1926, Page 24

NGAHAURANGA TO PORIRUA

MAINTENANCE OF ROAD

At the meeting of the Makara County Council held yesterday morning, over which Mr E. Windley presided, considerable discussion took place on the quesiiou of road maintenance when the estimates for the year 1926-/ were being considered. The chairman reported that the position was a little uncertain, the Council’s tractors being the main stumbling block, as very often they had been unable to negotiate the muddy portions of the roads satisfactorily. It was proposed, said Mr Windley, to approach again the Main Highways Board in connection with the maintenance of the Ngahau-ranga-Porirua Road, in which matter the board had expressed its willingness to assist the council under certain conditions. The County Clerk. Mr. W. L. Beech, reported that the estimated* expenditure on the maintenance of this section of road for the next year was £232-5, which bad been reached after several allowances for extra work bad been made. The Main Highways Board had expressed its willingness t>> take over part of the maintenance of this section of road on a pound for pound basis. It would cost £350 per mile to maintain the road, which would mean that the Council and the Highways Hoard would have to contribute £1751 each per annum to the cost of maintenance of cvcrv mile of road. It was decided that the Main Highways Board should be written to proposing that this be the basis on which the maintenance of the road be met. In the draft of the proposed letter the the following paragrpli apears:—“lt is apparent that dual control will not prove quite satisfactory, and it is the opinion of the Council that since the Public Works Department lias men and plant on the job, much duplication of work will be avoided, as well as useless expenditure, and there will be a much more satisfactory result, if the Department would also undertake the maintenance of this section. The Council is prepared to guarantee a contribution of pound for pound in a maintenance expenditure of £350 per mile. . The payments shall commence on this basis as from the date of the Board’s acceptance, and continue to March 31 next, when the position tnay be reviewed.” The position now is that the Council is awaitng the acceptance or otherwise of its offer by the Main Highways Board.