ROADING THE DISTRICT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 493, 21 August 1912, Page 5

ROADING THE DISTRICT.

BIG METALLING SCHEME. DEPUTATION TO COUNCIL. A deputation consisting of Messrs Wall, Boddy, Riddell, Burrows and Keigiiley was introduced by Cr O'Dwyer. Mr Wall, chairman of the committee appointed to elaborate the scheme outlined the work which had been done. He said the scheme propounded by the committee had been affirmed by a public meeting, and the deputation was appointed to place the matter before the council. Owing to not having sufficient representation from Aria Mr Wall said he did not know that the metalling of the Wa'tahi road was the bapt that could have been done in the district. However, tha committee had no power to alter the scheme. If the council had power to effect any alterations desired he thought the committee would be agreeable. Cr Smyth said he thought there would be small difficulty in getting the settlers to agree to spending the money on the Kaeaea road instead of Waitahi road. Mr Riddle Baid he was of the same opinion.

Mr Wall said the position with respect to the Awakino County was that the Awakino County had to become operative before a poll would be taken. Last week he had received a telegram from Mr Wilson, M.P., stating that the Minister for Internal Affairs was pushing the matter along as much as poswible.

The chairman said in the event of the Awakino County not carving the loan he wished to know if the settlers in Waitomo County intended to go on with their portion of the loan. Mr Wall said he had very little doubt about the proposal being carried but they would, of course, be wise in preparing for -such a contingency.

Cr Were pointed out that in order to apply for provisional consent to the loan each county would have to apply for its respective amount; therefore the Awakino County would have to be operative before the consent could be applied for. He said the matter might be shortened in Avvakiriu County by consent of ratepayers, providing the ratepayers interested did not exceed one hundred. Continuing Cr Were said he was considerably interested, He thought when the county was made operative a nominated council would be appointed, and that would shorten operations considerably. Mr Wall said he thought it would be advisable. The chairman said the council already had a letter from the Advances Department saying that it was useless applying for advances. counties which had borrowed over £SOOO last year were not being granted further loans at present. He felt it would bo unwise to make further application at present. The council had just had applications for £SOOO for loan purposes refused. These loans carried no subsidy, and it did not look promising for the success of 3ny further applications. Mr Wall said in reference to the counties application for loans he thought the fact that the Estimates were not yet passed might affect the position. On the motion of the chairman seconded by Cr Were, it was resolvd that the council agree to assist the deputation to raise the proposed loan and ask for provisional consent through the member for tha district. Mr Boddy said the committee had been requested by the public meeting to bring before the council the matter of expending the money already granted for the road. The chairman explained that the Government had charge of the crusher and had to crush a considerable quantity yet before the county contract for crushing could be carried out. A carting contract had been let by the council, but the work had been stopped by bad weather. Mr Wall said if the work was done as slowly by the Government man as it had been done last year they would not get the county work done fcr a long time. Last season only about twelve hundred yards had been turned out.

Mr Boddy said the carting had not been pushed ahead vigorously by the contractor.

Cr O'Dwyer Baid the principle under which the carting was carried out was not right. The carting was done on the clay road, and was frequently stooped by bad weather. Until the sysem of metalling from the crusher, and carting over the metal was adopted progress would be slow.