HUTT COUNTY ROADS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 302, 16 September 1933, Page 22

HUTT COUNTY ROADS

Deputation to Minister NEW OUTLET FROM CITY Satisfaction was expressed at the monthly meeting of the Hutt County Council yesterday at the manner in which z.e overseer, Mr. H. Dyer, had reduced the cost of metal. Cr. J. J. Maher said that the roads in Mungaroa riding had never been in better order than they were at present, and it was a distinct credit to the county overseer that they were able to obtain first-class metal at the low cost of 3/- a yard. He said that he had paid 12/- a yard in November last for a supply of metal for his own farm, and it was not nearly as good in quality as tlie metal the overseer was now putting on the roads, at 3/- a yard. The chairman, Cr. D. It. Hoggard, also complimented the overseer, remarking that he could remember when the council had had to pay as much as £1 a yard for metal. Hutt-Waikanae Highway. The district engineer of the Public Works Department advised that the Main Highways Board had instructed him to inform the council that the necessity for declaring a main highway a Government road to achieve any particular purpose had been entirely obviated by section 2 (1) of the Main Highways Amending Act, 1928, and consequently, since the passing of that Act, no highway had been so declared. Cr. Maher'said that the Minister of Public Works had promised to inspect the Hutt-Waikanae highway, and had not kept his promise, but he was not going to allow him to “sidestep” in this fashion. He did not consider that the ratepayers of Mungaroa riding had any responsibility for maintaining this road, as not half a dozen ratepayers used it. Cr. S. Blackley asked if they could not ascertain what would be a fair contribution by the council for the maintenance of the road, and to offer this to the Government. It would be better, said Cr. R. L. Burton, to have a conference with the Minister on the spot. It was decided to bring the matter before the Minister of Public Works when the deputation waited upon him in connection with the Western Hutt road. Cr. W. V. Dyer referred to the necessity for a start being made at the southern end of the Western Hutt road to make this another outlet from the city. He said that the present was a favourable time to make a commencement with the work, and it would give employment to a number of men. It was decided that a deputation, consisting of Crs. Hoggard (chairman), Maher, Dyer, and Blackley, should wait upon the Minister of Public Works in connection with the matter. Hutt Cycle Track. The city engineer submitted alternative proposals for repairs to the Hutt Road cycle track, under which the Hutt County Council’s contributions would be £lO6/8/- and £9O/8/- respectively. The chairman said that this cycle track concerned the city only, and was not used by county ratepayers. It was decided to inform the City and Suburban Highways Board that the council disclaimed, any liability whatever in regard to the Hutt Road cycle track. The overseer reported that the principal work by scheme 5 men during the month had been the widening of the Pahautaanul-Plimmerton road where it runs close to the beach at Jones’s corner. The sea had been encroaching, and heavy falls of the roadside had occurred, making it necessary to widen further inland. The work had now been nearly completed with satisfactory results.

Scheme 5 workmen were now principally engaged in widening Mungaroa Hill road, and on similar work near Swinson Park and Whiteman’s Hill, on the Hutt-Waikanae road. The better weather had enabled the work to proceed more rapidly and good progress had been made. Between Plimmerton and Pukerua, near the overhead railway bridge, the road was being widened, but slow progress only could be made with the limited labour available. The average weekly number of scheme 5 men employed on the roads during the month of August was 351, and there were 42 men working "over the fence” at the present time.