WHO IS RESPONSIBLE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXI, Issue 2260, 20 April 1926, Page 5

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —I have seen many miles of road-forming and metalling done, but I have never seen work carried out in such a discreditable manner as the repairing of about one mile of the Te Kuiti-Otorohanga road now going on adjacent to Te Kuiti Borough. The metal that has been recently broken has been so much rolled by the County steam roller that it is extremely flat, making it—that it is very probable—that the rain water will barely run off it in many places. The blinding that has been done on the metal is a sheer waste of time, energy and money, for the thin coating of light soil that has been used, and which has been dug from here, there and anywhere, with the fust heavy rains or strong wind? will disappear, and the metal left bare as before. Fancy using the heavy steam roller to solidify that dust! Suitable river shingle or proper crushed metal should be used for that purposesomething that would show good value for costly machinery and expert labour employed. Then again, such blinding has been taken off the side of the metalling, thus weakening the strength of the road. Should two motor cars pass one another one would most probably drop its off-side wheels into a hole made by the digger. In other places the blinding has been taken out of the gutter. the side banks, or further out in what was originally a good and safe travelling track for those on foot or horseback, but which now is unsafe, especially after dusk, as when you meet one or more motor cars you must stick to the narrow metal portion. If you go off on to what were before good side tracks, it is very probable that your horse, or yourself if walking, will suddenly step into a hole made for the purpose of getting blinding for the metal, and fall and come to "Mother Earth." Should a serious accident occur, is the County responsible? I venture to say that this mile of roading will. in a very short time require attention again. I would also like to know what is the average consumption of coal per mile by a steam roller rolling a metalled road. I am, etc.,

ONLOOKER