THE HAWERA-NORMANBY ROAD.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 97, 19 March 1881, Page 3

THE HAWERA-NORMANBY ROAD.

At the last meeting of the Hawera Eoad Board, the following correspondence was read in refer, nee to the repairing of the road between Hawera and Nornianby. An aininated discussion followed, of which we give an abridged report: —

The Chairman wrote as follows, on 20th December, to the Minister for Public Works : — " Eeferring to my letter of the 17th August last, I would again urge upon you the advisability of at once putting the main coach road between Huwera and Norinanby in a st-ate of repair, as at the present time it is in many placeß unsafe for vehicles. As this is a gazetted Government road, but under no local management, and the County Council has refused to take it over, I would suggest that the Government should make the repairs at present inquired, after which the Hawera Eoad Board would be willing to take over and maintain the same."

John Knowles, Under-Secretary for Public Works, replied as follows, under date Bth January : — " I am directed by the Minister for Public Works to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 21st December, requesting the Government to undertake the repairs now required on the Hawera-Normanby road, and in reply to express the Minister's regret that he has no funds available for the purpose, and is therefore unable to comply with your request. I am to add that the road is not a Government road, as you apparently suppose ; and on reference to the 81st section of the Public Works Act, 1876, you will find that all roads are declared to be district roads, and continue to be so, unless the Government or county subsequently specially proclaim them to be Government or county roads."

The Chairman said that Mr. Winks had promised to see the chairman of the County Council, and he expected that a definite answer would be received from the Government by Monday or Tuesday. They would remember that at the last meeting of the County Council a communication was read from the Public Works Department, in answer to a letter from the chairman, asking that the Government should repair the road, to the effect that the matter would be considered. If no satisfactory reply was received, he thought the Board should endeavor to repair the road before the winter set in. Me believed they would receive some assistance from the County CounciL

Mr. Biddiford — If it is in the same position as a by-road, why should it be metalled any more than the others ?

The Chairman replied that there was more traffic on the road than on all the other district roads put together, and i% was to the interest of the whole district to keep it in repair. Mr. Allen — It will be an expensive job.

The Chairman — No ; it only wants attending to. I think we could get a vote of £40 or £50 from the County Council towards its repair.

Messrs. Robson and Morrison pointed out tbat it was only a district road in name ; in reality, it was the main road.

Messrs. Riddiford and Allen suggested that a toll-gate should be placed upon tbe road.

The Chairman said if the road was repaired now, it would not require much done for many a day, as the railway would soon be running, and nobody wonld use a metalled road for heavy traffic so long as they had the railway alongside. Mr. Morrison thought they might get gravel for all the roads in the district at half the present cost, once the railway was running. Mr. Riddiford pointed out that the Board were going to tell Mr. Bayly that they had no money to spend upon the road leading to his plnce, although he had been paying rates for five years ; yet tliey were going to metal that road. He did not call that fair.

The Chairman replied that Mr. Bayly bad had the benefit of a good road leading down by the Tawhiti, and could use all the other roads in tbe district as well. He did not consider him badly used.

Mr. Riddiford said that Mr. Bayly had only the use of that road on sufferance. He had to go through a paddock, and could be shut out at any time.

The Chairman said tbat Mr. Bayly's wants were nil, as compared with the majority of settlers. He was a grazier, and had lots of firewood on his own property ; but the road between Hawera and Normanby was a benefit to the whole district. The Hawera people used the road more than any others, and yet they contributed nothing to its maintenance. He did not think that fair.

Mr. Allen — Exactly. A toll-gate would get at them. That is the only Way.

The Chairman-'-You must remember that if the road is repaired this year, it will need but little afterwards. By next year, we shall have a separate county, and if it is managed by road boards, the road will probably be made a county one.

In answer to a question, Mr. Twigg, foreman of works, said he thought about 200 yards of gravel would put the whole of tbe road in repair.

Alter some further discussion, the Chairman moved — " That, failing to get the Government to take over the road by Tuesday next, tenders be advertised in the Star for the delivery of gravel along the road ; tenders to be opened by Tuesday next." Seconded by Mr. Morrison, and carried unanimously.

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