HUTT-ROAD WHO SHALL CONTROL?

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 70, 24 March 1914, Page 2

HUTT-ROAD WHO SHALL CONTROL?

In connection with the Gazette notico vesting the cohtrol of the Hutt-road in the Wellington City Council, Mr. T. M. Wilford has written to the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey) protesting, on behalf of the local bodies in the HuU electorate, against this step. Mr. Wilford draws attention to a letter from the Minister for Railways to the Onslow Borough Council,* under date 26th September, 1913, in which the Minister, after advising that control had been vested in the Wellington CKfcy Council, stated : " If, however, the various contributing bodies consider that some more practicable a,i-» 'rangement can be come to the Govp.^nment is prepared to consider any pioposals that are made for veßting the load 111 a board constituted of representatives from all the local bodies, 1 or giving the contributing bodies representation so that then particular interests can be guarded." On 7th October a deputation waited on the Prime Minister and the Minister for Railways, and Mr. Luke _ (Mayor of Wellington) • asked that the road should bo vested not in the Wellington City Council but in the whole of the local bodies concerned. Mr. Berries replied that the road must be vpsted ijl one local body or in a board. ' The Prime Minister later stated that the road would not be vested till the matter was settled. "I desire to protest," Writes Mi*. Wilfoi'd ; "as member for Hutt, against t,li£ vesting of the control of the Hutt-road in the Wellington City Council, and in view of the statements made by the Hon. Mr" Hert'ies and yourself to th^e deputation 1 trust that you will see you' 1 way clear to revoke tjie. Gazette notice and see that the road is vested not in one local authority but in a board representing them all. This is most important to my constituency, for each local authority desires to have a voice in the money which will be expended in the future on the upkeep of that road, and also desires to have lepfesentatives appointed on the board who may 1 communicate with their councils before any authorisation takes place in the ,way of expenditure."