A DETERMINED DEPUTATION

Evening Star, Issue 19781, 3 February 1928, Page 2

A DETERMINED DEPUTATION

FORTOBEU.O RESIDENTS STATE OF HARWOOD'S ROAD At the monthly meeting of the Peninsula County Council yesterday a petition was received from Air Oliver .North and nine other ratepayers protesting against having to pay any subsidy towards the repair of the road known as Harwood’s road. It was stated previously that they were all ratepayers who, in their estimation, had not received due recompense. For years the ward bad been in a neglected state, and it was considered that it was the duty of the council to provide the money for the repairs, which were thought to be urgently needed.

Three of tho petitioners came before the council as a deputation. Mr North said there should bo no argument as to whether or not the road should be done up, and bo did not think it fair that the ratepayers should have to put their hands into their pockets for it. It was impossible for people to get into or come out of the place by car. Moreover, if the council insisted upon such a course it should apply with equal force to everybody. If it wanted rental values to go up it would be of benefit to the county to give people the roads to get to their sections. Mr W. J. Lewis said that they were a small riding, and though ho would like to see tho people in that neighborhood have their road, which was really wanted, the fact remained that the council was up against it in the matter of funds. Money had been spent on the road some time ago. Tho council was getting £ for £ from the Government, hut it was his personal idea that it had spent money as far as it could. In the meantime, a light sea wall should carry all tho traffic. Cr D. J. Robertson stated that the petitioners were old settlers, and it was not a fair thing to ask them to pay anything. If the council spent money on the road it would only he doing justice to those settlers. _ Or Miller: Tho whole thing is “Where is tho money to come from?” Or Robertson : All the other settlers have good roads. The Chairman: I could point out dozens of other settlers who have not good roads. The speaker continued by saying that the matter was entiiely one of cost. At present the council was not in a position to point out when the money would he available. When it had money the council would give the riding every consideration, and the chances were that it would be able to do something later. At present it was just merging into a county council from a road board, and its financial standing was as yet unknown. To Mr North lie said that the council would approach tho Harbor Board for assistance. Miss Harwood, in giving her opinion of the condition of tho road, said that taxi men would not use it, and even when doctors were needed it could not he used. Altogether there were twelve houses in that vicinity, and the people, since the beginning of the Road Board’s existence, had paid rates. The road had been formed for twelve years, and only Sin of clay had been put on the surface; in some parts it was nractically all sand. She considered that something should ho done to improve it. The Chairman; Before we use the Government grant of £75 we must put £ for £ to it.

Or Morrison asked if the residents were prepared to contribute £37 10s. The council was not in a position to say how much money it had .to spend on it. The only money available for the road was what came out of the riding rates. Cr Robertson asked the deputation if there was any chance of the settlers finding £25. He considered it wbuld lie wise of them to do so.

Mrs North said that many of the settlers were not in a position to find the necessary money. Or Robertson stated that nil the members of the council wanted the residents to get their road provided finances would permit. He did not see any reason why the sections could not be sold, then, for, by having the road made, they would help to make the place into a township. Sirs North said she had seen “ one man ” roads, and she wished to know why twelve people should not get one. If the road were put in order the settlers would he prepared to pay more rates.

When the deputation had withdrawn, Cr Malcolm sai’d that if Cr Lewis was prepared to spend some of the riding funds on the road he would support him. The idea of putting things off was becoming a habit of the council. He was not inclined, however, to force people to spend money against their wish. Cr Lewis moved that the council find £SO, and use £SO of the Government grant for the road, and, further, that it communicate with the Harbor Board and ask if it could give some financial assistance in regard to the formation of the sea. wall. Cr Malcolm seconded the motion.

Cr Irvine said he was quite in agreement with the motion provided that the necessary money could be found in Portobello riding. He shuddered to think what disaster might he simmering if they called upon the Broad Bay riding to give money for a road in Lower Portobello. The motion was carried.