HUTT ROAD

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 139, 13 June 1924, Page 7

HUTT ROAD

COUNCIL SUPPORTS EXTENSION SCHEME

MAYOR EXPLAINS AMENDMENTS

City Councillors dispersed at midnight last night after a busy meeting, and it was then remembered by Councillor H. D. Bennett that the question of the council's formal support to the Hutt roadt extension scheme as amended by delegates of local bodies at their recent conferences had been overlooked. By that time councillors were homeward bound, the Mayor and Councillor Bennett alone remaining "on deck," but a round-up commencd', and in a few minutes the meeting was formally resumed in informal fashion, a fairly full meeting in hats and coats.

The Mayor briefly outlined the work done in conference, one of the main points being that it was proposed that the personnel of the board should be increased to twelve—six members from the Wellington City Council, five from local bodies, and one representative of the motorists. If a critical position arose, though ther* was no need to fear one, the City Council would be able to hold its own, and would retain control. The scheme as put forward by the" council had been generally agreed to by the delegates, but it was decided that in place of the £3000 per annum which the local bodies should contribute towards the maintenance of the Hutt road £1000 should be contributed, that being balanced off by the increasing of the contributions to be paid per mile (Of road over other lengths to a flat £200. Councillor H. D. Bennett remarked that the effect of the reduction of the contributions by local bodies to £1000 per annum would have the effect of increasing the period of the loan from Hi years to 17£ years, but that applied to .the 5% .miles of the Hutt road only..

The arrangement, remarked the Mayor, appeared to him equitable. The council was getting its reasonable share. Legislation would, of course, have to be obtained to render the scheme effective.

In answer to questions Mr. Wright said that the Highways Board would (.•ontribute £ for £ on roade declared to be main highways, as through the Ngahauranga Gorge, and on to Upper Hutt." A great deal.of regrading and widening would be necessary in the gorge, and the Highways Board took up the position that in such cases it would also contribute £ for £ to the local body doing the work, or, in the case of a local body being unable to face the cost, would recommend the road being taken over as a Government road; that would probably have to be done in the case of the Gorge road, as the Makara County Council could not face the very heavy expenditure. :

Criticisms had been levelled against the scheme on the ground that too good a road was proposed, but the Highways Board would put a check upon unnecessary expenditure, no doubt, by refusing to subsidise a £5000 road if it considered a £3000 road sufficient.

Questions were' raised as to whether bitumen could be laid on grades such as were met with in Ngahauranga Gorge, and Councillor Gaudin suggested that owners of horse-drawn vehicles should also have representation upon the board, since horses must use the roads for many years to come. Roads must be built to suit both horses and care.

The Mayor replied that horse-drawn ■vehicles, were not directly taxed. He formally moved that the report as outlined be adopted, that the council support the scheme as amended, the sum to be raised for the carrying out of the scheme to be £200,000. Councillor Chapman, in seconding the motion, carried on the voices, remarked that the Bdheme was the best thing that had been brought up for a very long time. The .good roads movement was on a wave of popularity at the present time, and it was well to take advantage of that popularity.