RATEPAYERS' THREAT

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 85, 10 April 1926, Page 9

RATEPAYERS' THREAT

DEMAND FOR ROAD REPAIRS

OTHERWISE r WILL NOT SUPPOET LOAN.

A .threat-that- they would not support the raising of the proposed £12,000 loan for.tho improvement of the Ngahauraiiga' Gorge road so long as tlid local j-dr.ds remained in their present. '. '-disgraceful condition,'' was made by twenty-one residents of the llawtrey Estate, near Jolmsonvillc. and ratepayers' : of .Mak'ara County, in a petition presented .at yesterday's meeting of tho Makara. County Council. " Mr. 0. H.. .H., Fraape waited on the council to represent the claims of the petitioners.; 'He said that the roads iir the HawtVey Estate were in a dangerous and' "disgraceful state. Thoy were only nine feet wide, were badly 'lighted, and the'sui-faeo was broken by •great ruts. For seven years the ratepayers had been waiting for improvements, and they considered it was time the roads v/cre ; attended to. Only onco !tiiid he soen a roadman at work in the district in the past eight years. Only if the roads'were put into proper order would-the ratepayers concerned support tho council's loan proposals. .."Is it a. case of. taking drastic action"." asked, .the..chairman (Mr. E. Windley) wljeVthe speaker referred to a 'proposill. to take a canvass of the district to ft. something could not be done. .'.-'■'.

Mr. Fraape: '' Yes,'' He asked for a definite assurance as to when the council would make a start on the roads .complained about. ■ ' WILLING TO PAY.

The chairman maintained that the Toads were in fair condition, having regard for the- fact that the Hawtrey Estate ratepayers paid very little in rates—£lß6 from 63 ratepayers. The total number of chains of road was 249. He said -that the council as not responsible for the present width of the roads. The onus was on the residents to clear all gbTse away from their properties and from the* adjoining roads. The. council in some cases had granted requests for .the fences to be set out a E'-ort distance to give extra grazing to the owners, and the council could not bo blamed if the gorse' had spread. Ht admitted that '"one' of the roads needed r.pairs, but he maintained ' that all ■were not so bad. If residents desired extensive' roading improvements they must be prepared to bear a large pro^ portion of the jates. Tho council would be glad to meet the residents if they had any real grievance. If they took exception to the loan proposals he would like to. have an oppor,tui#ty to discuss the niattor with them.

Mr. Fraape declared that the ratepayers wbulct be; prepared to pay for decent road's if'Hthey got them. They ■would support .the loan proposals if they could get attention for their own roads. Finally, the chairman remarked that the council hadieard just about enough about !thev roads, on the estate, and that tie would endeavour to bring about an improvement jiext week.