TE HORO’S ROADS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 14 August 1925, Page 2

TE HORO’S ROADS.

08. JENSEN’S COMPLAINT. At Saturday’s meeting of the Horowhenua County Council, Cr. Jensen said the roads at Te Horo were getting worse and worse and there would be no roads left if the Council did not do something. The heavy traffic had damaged them and the Power Board was helping to spoil them. He had asked for the County plant to go down there and he had asked for the work to be done by contract, but he got neither. They had not even got a roadman and if the Council allowed the by-roads to go to pieces it would be very serious. Whatever was going to be done he hoped they-would not wait too long. Replying to Cr. Jensen, the chairman said he agreed that the roads were not too good and they could not expect them to be while the wet weather lasted. It was impossible to have all the roads at all times in really good order. Ho mentioned that the Te Horo roadman had to go to work at the Roaring Meg Bridge. Another aspect of the roading question had to be considered. They were spending the current year’s rates, very little of which had been collected, or would come in before September, and mostly in December. If they were going to spend the estimates in the first part of the year, it would cost them a lot in bank interest. It was right to spin the maintenance out for nine or twelve months. If £14,000 to £15,000 was spent in the first six months they would finish up with a huge overdraft and no roads. Referring to the contemplated expenditure on the two bridges in the Te Horo riding, the chairman said it was a frightful thing that a riding such as Te Horo should be saddled with these expensive works. He indicated a prob* able method of finance by subsidy and loan. , , . In answer to Cr. Jensen, the chairman said they Were still awaiting a reply in regard to the flood water at To Horo. , . The Engineer’s report was as follows: — ... In the Te Horo Riding the metalling in the southern end has been practically completed but the roads in the northern end require some maintenance metal. Work on the Roaring Meg Bridge, Otaki Gorge, is in hand. The structure has been raised and the abutment pier on the southern bank put in place. It will, also be necessary to strengthen the northern abutment. Taungata bridge.—l have gone carefully into the question of repairs, renewals of anchors, etc., for this bridge and estimate the cost at £630. Waihoanga bridge,—Attached hereto are alternative estimates for the re erection of the bridge on old site and for erection of bridge on suggested new site further down stream. Although the length of the bridge at the old site is a good deal greater that at the suggested new site, the cost is less, to the fact that land would have to be acquired and a new road, on a steep grade and through a fairly heavy breast cutting, would have to be ed. Estimated cost of bridge at old site, £1890; at new site, £2263.