WORK ON MAIN HIGHWAYS

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 7 July 1932, Page 6

WORK ON MAIN HIGHWAYS

NO. 7 DISTRICT COUNCIL CURTAILMENT of expenditure OVER £4OOO LESS FOR ROARING

A review of the year’s work and of the proposals for the coming year were submitted at the annual meeting of the District Council (No. 7) of the Main Highways Board, held at Stratford yesterday. There were present Messrs P. Keller (chairman), J. B. Murdoch (Hawera County), A. L. Campbell (Eiitham), E. Long (Waimate), Stuart (Inglewood), J. S. Connett (Taranaki), T. R. Anderson (Stratford), H. Foreman (Clifton), W. It. Cieland (Wliangamornona). Engineers present were Messrs J. W. Spence (Stratford), F. Muggeridge (Eitham), A. Muggeridge (Hawera), J. A. Hansen (Waimate West), S'. C. Judd (Inglewood), G. Meredith (Taranaki), and N. C. Eookes (Clifton). Mr. P. Keller was re-elected chairman and Messrs A. L. Campbell and T. R. Anderson an executive committee.

Reviewing the past year the chairman said that the increased rate of subsidy, which was payable on ordinary maintenance, had the effect of iedueirig the local authorities’ proportion of the cost by 25 per cent. The total amount provided for expenditure on maintenance and major maintenance was £75,543, and the total amount expended for the year £56,255. The amount expended on ordinary maintenance was £8,400, a:s compared with £55,910 for the previous year, a- drop of nearly 18 per cent. In spite of this reduced expenditure, however, it was satisfactory to record that maintenance was generally satisfactory, and that with very few txceptions there was 110 serious deterioration of the running surfaces or drainage of the highways. The average cost of maintenance, excluding £2005 spent on new .-ealing, but including widening of roadways, for the last two years was as follows: 1930-31 1931-32 £ s cl* £ s d Main Highways 125 9 0 124 12 0 Sec* Highways 128 2 6 99 14 0 All Highways 126 4 0 117 12 6 It would be seen that the cost of maintenance decreased by 6.8 per cent, of tile previous year’s figures. In reply to Mr. Murdoch the chairman said that the balance of the £75,543 unexpended was’ partly held by local authorities. Some was One to savings effected. On Mr. Connett’s motion the report was adopted and the chairman was congratulated on the nosition disclosed A report was given by the chairman on the construction estimates, showing that £4500 was available.

APPLICATIONS AND ALLOCATIONS.

Applications for new work amounted to £11,792; board’s liabilities, £1143; total applications, £12,935; funds available, £4500; applications to be icdueed by £8435. The schedule of allocations was: Main Highways board £401; Clift-on County £300; Taranaki County, £2952; Hawera county £533; Egm-ont county, £314; total £4500. Tho maintenance estimates were: Applications for new work, £42,105; board’s liabilities, £2768; total applications, £44,933; funds available, £37,000; applications to be reduced by £7933. The schedule of allocations is: Main Highways Board, £7913 ; Clifton county, £21.00; Taranaki county, £3535; Inglewood county, £3060; Stratford county, £4950; Fit ham county, £3800; Hawera county, £367u ; Waimate West, county, £3270 ; Jiginoii't county, £2262; Waitara borough, £550; Inglewood borough, £129; Stratford borough, £350; Mtham borough, £242; Hawera borough, £149; Norman by Town Board, £230; Manaia Town Board, £200; Kaponga Town Board, £100; Opunake Town Board, £9B; Taranaki Automobile Association (signs) £135; South Taranaki Automobile Association (signs), £B4; works not specified, £173; total £37,000. Tho estimates last year, said the chairman, were £17,000, but had to be reduced to £BOOO through the raid on the funds. The amount had also to be reduced this year, the works being taken in the order of urgency. In reply to Mr. Spencer, he said that there would be no curtailment further unless Parliament and the Economy Commissioner so decided.

Answering Air. Alurdoeh, Air Keller said lie bad no knowledge of the position as compared with other districts. They could not make a comparison of the relative merit of work in other places, considered from a national point of view.

Mr. Murdoch said he undea’stood Wellington was getting no less than £190,000 for construction, while Taranaki was restricted to £4500 and many urgent calls for expenditure had to be cut out.

The construction estimates were then adopted. Dealing with the maintenance estimates the- chairman said that last year only £50,253 had been expended out of £75.543, showing that much work had not been put in hand. The board found the sum of £41.000 for ■ill purposes and this year the total would be £37.000, the reduction, therefore. being much smaller.

The applications totalled £BO,OOO more than this sum and drastic reductions were necessary. Last year the applications were low on a mileage basis, but he considered that this year ample had been allowed. Last year the board had pruned heavily because applications were inflated. The question of the transfer of a grant from one road to another was ■•■aised, it being stated by the chairman that any local body’ could adopt this policy where considered advisable. figur US elsewhere. ■Mr. Alurdoeh asked if the council could bo * supplied with maintenance and construction figures of other districts, which would be interesting for comparison. Air. Keller said he would ask that this b e done. He added that such comparisons would have to be made on a mileage basis. The mileage in Taranaki was 437. Wanganui 474 and Gisborne 341. Referring to any transfer of votes made in local bodies, Air. Keller urged the need of care to see that applications were made in good time. Arc. Connett said that every local body was inclined to ask a little more than they hoped to get. He added that the proposals submitted by local bodies were reasonable, but in view of the conditions existing all were agreeable to cut down to the minimum. Ho wished this recorded as a motion. Air. Murdoch said the action might be misconstrued and rebound on Taranaki, resulting in a raising of local hodv rates to meet the position. Air. Anderson said that whatever happened the counties could not let their assets depreciate. Mr. Ca mphol.l did not see what good would come of Air. Comiott’.s motion. Mr. Long added that they did not want the hoard to think they were

satisfied and could get through with the amounts of allotment. Air. Campbell said the local bodies had been obliged to reduce the rates to keep the farmers on the land, and now they were forced to take a smaller amount. On the suggestion of the chairman it was decided to send a letter from the council to the board, giving the gist of the opinion of delegates. In concluding his remarks the chairman added that there was no hope lor more highways this year and advised local bodies to alter some of the i resent highways where they were in a condition to last some years. It was resolved that no recommendations be made regarding main roads, except-that if the board should dec lure additional highways in the Dominion the council wished a proportional mileage on last year’s recommendation included.