MURRAY CREEK ROAD SAID TO BE IN DANGEROUS STATE

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 September 1950, Page 7

MURRAY CREEK ROAD SAID TO BE IN DANGEROUS STATE

[SPECIAL REPORTER]

REEFTON, This Day.—The deteriorating and dangerous condition of the Murray Creek road, which gives access to two coal mines, was the subject of a deputation to the Inangahua County Council yesterday. The council decided to obtain a full report on the road, which, it was stated, was the subject of an annual “squeal.”

Reporting on the dangerous state of the road, Mr W. G. Chandler (per a solicitor) indicated that in the event of an accident occurring to his men or vehicles he intended to hold the council responsible for any loss sustained.

Stating that a considerable sum, in excess of £l5O, had been spent by him on keeping the road open, Mr Chandler asked the council to reimburse him.

Mr Chandler asked for payment of £lOO, which he had spent in grading the road, though he conceded that this work carried out by him had not been authorised by the council. Other work, he said, had not been charged for.

It was pointed out that the council earned £lBl in heavy traffic fees and £3l in rates from the area served by the road, whereas the council had spent a total of £417 on the road in recent years.

Councillors, admitting that the road required a great deal of continual work, indicated that it was impossible to put the road into a really satisfactory condition. There were, it was stated, many other urgent works in the county which also had to be carried out.

Pending the preparation of a full report on the road, the council gave authority for attention to be given to the danger spots on the route. A claim for £35, including £ll for percentage of lost profit, for work on repairing a bridge on an access road, was received from Gilsennan Bros. The council ruled out the payment of profit-loss, pointing out the widespread repercussions this could have, but passed payment of £24.