PREPARATION WORK

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 49, 26 August 1926, Page 10

PREPARATION WORK

EFFECT ON COST OF PAVING

DISCUSS!D BY LOCAL HIGHWAYS

BOARD

SUGGESTIONS OF UNFAIRNESS.

Considerable discussion took place again to-day at the meeting of the Local Highways Board in regard to a decision reached by tho board last September that local bodies should bo required to refund to the board moneys expended in preparing roadways in their districts for pavements over and above standard preparation cost on tho basis of one shilling per squaro yard of pavement.

A report laid before the boavd by tho City Engineer showed that the payments consequently due, included £1640 from the city, £.114 from Petone, £738 from Lower Hutt, £785 from tho Hutt County, and £572 from Upper Hutt, a total of £2211 odd. Mr. D. It. Hoggard, representing the Hutt County Council, said that lie could not accept either the resolution or the figures, for the local bodies had not been consulted about the preparation work, and, had had no.opportunity to concur or otherwise. Moreover, it was quito unfair to adopt such a resolution after the great bulk of the city paving had been completed. Tho Mayor, Mr. C. B. Norwood, said that while he agreed with a good deal that Mr. Hoggard. had said as to leal bodies being consulted, the position in fact was that local bodies must surely have known, what was being done within their own boundaries; their engineers would certainly know what was being done. If the city had gained some advantage then that might be looked into, but other bodies had also gained. If tho Hutt County had been asked whether it was willing to pay £785 for preparation work, said Mr. Hoggard, then it would almost certainly have said so, even if it had had to go without its better road. THE BOARD'S REAL BUSINESS. ' The resolution had been adopted, said Councillor H. D. Bennett, following complaints that paving was costing considerably more than it had in the previous season, and when examination showed that heavy preparation costs were eating into the estimates faster than was anticipated. The most glaring case was in the Lower Hutt Borough, where preparation cost as much as 5s and 63 per square yard, and the board took the stand that its business was to pave and not to prepare streets, apart frorn^ getting the surfaces ready for the actual pavement; in other words, that motor fees should not be used to relieve local bodies of their responsibilities. One shilling a square yard was agreed .to as a reasonable figure, but if necessary it might be reviewed in respect of the coming season's work. Mr. S. G. Nathan, the motorists' representative, supported Councillor Bennett, and agreed that the local bodies should have been, more formally consulted. The resolution should be rescinded, said Mr. Hoggard; it was quite unfair that some bodies should have to pay and some. not. GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING. Mr, W. T. Strand, Mayor of Lower Hutt, said that there was no question about tho weakness of the position of Lower Hutt and tho city in the matter, for tho bulk of their work had been done before the resolution was passed. It was not fair that a cost should be inflicted upon a local body when that body had no say in the question, and, from the other viewpoint, he maintained that the matter should be reviewed right from the beginning, prior to and subsequent to the passing of the resolution. He certainly did not wish it to go out that the Lower Hutt was not paying its fair and proper share. Representatives of the various bodies, moreover, should not lose sight of the fact that the scheme was not intended for the benefit of any portion or portions of the district, but for the whole district.

Mr. A. J. M'Curdy, Mayor of Upper Hutt, said that he had some doubts as to whether Is was a fair standard, for it was based on preparation costs on the Hutt road (9d), which was a favourable job. He pointed out that the smaller bodies had no means of paying the except by going to the ratepayers for a loan, and suggested that legislation should be sought to amend this.

The matter,'on tho suggestion of the Mayor, was referred to the board, as a committee, for further consideration.

Another point of board finance was mentioned later in the meeting; that thero were now outstanding contributions amounting to £4000 from the variout bodies and the Main Highways Board's contribution of £16,000. Upon these sums the board was depending largely for its finance next season.