MAINTAINING ROADS

Matamata Record, Volume XIX, Issue 1735, 1 June 1936, Page 8

MAINTAINING RO ADS

HINUERA PROPOSAL , ‘ M ■ ■ ■ ' -Jfm Surfaceman Wanted - A determined effort was made by Cr. P, R. Hawke at the May meeting of the Matamata County Council to secure the erection of a surface- - man’s cottage at Hinuera and the t stationing of a man in that centre. Cr. Hawke outlined his proposal, which was mentioned at a previous meeting, and pointed out that as the land" was already there the costs would more than be recovered out ofv rent. /■ ', . • .Or. P. Dee thought Okoroire could be better worked from Tirau. He hoped the proposal would not mean the elimination of the Te Poi surfaceman. Cr. K. S. Cox pointed out that the council should go very slowly * -erecting cottages near main roads, as the Government would soon pe taking over main roads. Further, it was better business to have lorries concentrated in Tirau, where they could be overhauled by an expert mechanic, than scattered all over the county.-':' •’ ■ v•" Cr. J. Pohlen seconded the proposal and asked where the money would come from. Cr. E. D. White said that Cr. Hawke had raised an, interesting point. However, he would like to see the engineer go into the matterand bring down a report. He believed that perhaps a more economical system could be devised, say by the use of a light lorry and a couple of men going around the roads. He felt that this' might be a better system than the surfacema* with horse and dray. ' Cr," A. Pearce: . The lorry could scatter the men about the-roads and pick them up again at night. . Cr. Pohlen said: he was convinced’ the horse grader was eut-of-.-date.;.... The engineer said there was: only ./• one in the county and that was mostly: on the Kaimai. ; A dual system had been in operation in the .for years, and he was certain that men in a lorry were apt to miss nine out. of they should do, as against what Would be done by a surfaceman with a and dray. A point in this connection was the opening of the • small drains and culverts which could be seen by la man walldng or riding; bn a bioycle with a shovel. These meh were held responsible for l their area arid he kindw who :to - - blame if the road :went r wrong. With a lorry- tfie -same- man: was dropped at the. same- place twice r an 4. • - thus no , one. could be blamed*: That would be the.. report. • ; ,J ' / : v ; ,v" '’’ll' .. •, , v,..: *•-/’; '' ■ ; ~v. ' •• Replying, Cr. Hawke said that he had nqt suggested doing away with the' Te Poi''‘surfaceman. .Under, hir; idea there-would be no need ,to dump* e y tJ metal at. the WaihoU bridge one day end pick it up the next. He; claimed a man stationed at Hinuera would save money for the county. Therg was no need to clean out culvertp < and ditches each week. A motor lorry cost about the same as a horse and dray per day and the lat» ter was ' limited to area. He favoured a big lorry so that bankacould be cut: and gravel carted. He had knowledge of road-making and tie claimedi a big saving could b* made on present costs as a result oi his proposal. : / ' . r - . Desultory discussion followed during which Cr.. White suggested that if Cr. Hawke dropped the house proposal and just asked for a surface— ; man stationed al Hinuera, it. would find more favour, - as it was h difffrcult year to find the money; A \ Finally the matter wife closed by Cr. Hawke adopting a suggestion t«| postpone the matter for 1 a month 4 and to give notice of motion of hig. proposal.