WAITOTARA VALLEY ROAD.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 10 August 1927, Page 10

WAITOTARA VALLEY ROAD.

METALLING PROPOSALS. At the meeting of the Pa tea County Council yesterday correspondence* was received regarding the \Y aitotara* A alley* Road metalling. The Minister of Public Works advised Mr. Dickie, M.P., that the position had been investigated, and* it was considered that, in view of the amount of traffic likely* since the opening of the Pirannui bridge, the road should bo metalled as far as Ma.kaka.ho, 2< miles, and an estimate had been prepared. There were eight miles in Waitotara and 1!) in Paten, County, the whole of the former having been widened and metalled for over a. mile, leaving 61 miles to be done at a cost of about £10.400. Ten miles in the Patea remained to be widened and 181 to be metalled, the cost estimated at £30,600. The cost was high owing to the scarcity of metal on the road. A request was made for a grant on account of the cost of the widening in Patea and a. further amount to finish metalling the worst parts. He advised that the Government could reasonably contribute £3OOO, and this matter would be given consideration. The usual basis of subsidy was £ for £, but the Government would favourably consider giving £2 for £l, and on this basis the Waitotara Council would require to find £3500 and Patea £10,300. He considered nothing should be done until the local bodies hud made definite arrangements in regard to the respective quotas. The matter would be further considered when they were ready to proceed. Mr. Dickie said in a covering letter that ‘'they did. a good day’s work when they took the Minister up to view the road.” If £2 for £1 were received it would go a. long way*- to- ’ wards compensating them for the road! not being declared a highway. | The clerk said a halfpenny rate in Kapara would total £693. The chairman said the County Council was making the host offer possible. It was offering £IOO per annum. Shell rock or metal from the Waitotara River would be available. Cr. Belton said that open and flat places should be tarred. A loan, if raised, could be made for 15 years or longer. Kapara would have to go in for a loan of £IO,OOO for roadmaking Tarring, he observed, would effect a saving of thousands in the future on maintenance, lie added that shell rock was good, but if dirt got in with the shell rock the metal did not last so long. The question of heavy* traffic was mentioned, and the chairman said that if ratepays insisted on heavy traffic they must find the means, to get the monev. He agreed that additional expenditure at first meant a. saving in the end.

Cr. Watkins suggested using finer metal and blinding. The cbnjnnnn said that if the Rangitikei scheme went through they could look for better results. He was confident that they should not let slip such a good chance to help the back countrv. He added that bv this summer the main roads would he almost comnleted ui) to 19 feet, and that when this was done the council could' slacken up on such work. It was resolved that the* Minister’s letter he referred to the Kapara Ratepayers’ Association so as to decide what steps it was prepared to take to raise the council's quota, and that a conference he field a.s early as possible if desired. The chairman. Crs. Belton. Alexander and Sutherland and the engineer were appointed n delegation to meet the settlers.