THE GORGE ROAD

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 141, 19 May 1925, Page 5

THE GORGE ROAD

COST OF IMPROVEMENTS,

CONTRIBUTING BODIES OBJECTING.

The demands of the Manawatu Gorge Road Board of Control for fur tier monetary contributions for the qonpletion of tho scheme for the improvement of tho Gorge road ' has raised a storm of protest from the contributing bodies. At a previous meeting of the hoard a circular letter was received from the Woodvillo Borough Council in which iho writers held that tho burden placed o i the contributing local bodies was already too heavy, and, rather than further expenditure bo entailed, that the work bo stopped. The aouneil was also of the opinion that the road should be taken over by tho State and the local hod es relieved of tho responsibility, as had been done in the case of tho roads over the Rimutaka and Paekakariki hills.

At yesterday’s meeting, letter! in similar strain were received from the Pahiatua and Rangitikei Councils. The chairman (Mr F. J. Nathan), in discussing the matter, stated that no doubt all the members woro conversant with the outcome of a deputation which had waited on the late Prime Minister, while he, personally, had also interviewed the Minister for Public Works relative to the route being taken over by the Government, both visits being attended with failqre. On tho last occasion he had informed the Minister that, if the Government was content to pay a further subsidy of £3OOO, tho board would bo prepared to carry the work through to completion. However, under the present conditions, it would be useless to approach the Government with a similar request, for it was ibo secret that Sir Francis Bell was merely temporary Premier, and no direct promises would be given until a Premier was definitely appointed. “It had been unfortunate,” added the speaker, “that the Highways Board came into existence following the election of the Board of Control. However, probably tho members have come prepared to say something relative to tho financial statements which have been furnished the local bodies.”

ROAD SHOULD BE TAKEN OVER. Mr R. S. Chadwick explained that, while ho had not come to criticise, ho was of the opinion that a mistake had been made in furnishing the local bodies with the statements without tho members first acquainting themselves with the position. He had been asked to explain how the additional amount which was now required to complete the work had arisen, and lie had not been in a position to reply. Mr O. McElnoy spoke in similar strain, slating that his council was strongly of the opinion that tho route should be taken over by the Government. Tho Govern meet had done so in the case of the l’aokakariki and Rimutaka hills roads, and the Gorge route was held to be equally important. Mr H. Cornelius stated that the Pahiatua County Council was of the opinion that it had paid quite enough. The route was an important one and should be a Government road. However, if the Government was not prepared to take over the route, his council would prefer that tho work cease, the members failing to see why a few bodies should he called on to bear the burden.

Mr Jos. Batchclar explained that the Kairanga County Council viewed the matter somewhat • similarly, and, as it was unable to meet the call out of rates, a loan would have to be raised. However, he thought that tho council would contribute its share if the work was proceeded with. The chairman remarked that he was surprised to hear such views, adding that they were pnobably the' views of the members of the councils, particularly those bodies which were not directly represented, rather than the representatives sitting on the board. At an earlier meeting at the Gorge, he, the speaker, hud informed the members that the estimated amount to carry through the contract would prove insufficient, and he had been given to understand that they were to carry on for a further month and, if the Government would provide a subsidy to . raise tho amount up to the original estimate, the scheme would be carried through to completion. Mr McElroy: “Provided the Government paid a pound for pound subsidy.” The chairman: “No! I reported to you at the time that the work would have to stop for want of money, and the members had agreed to accept the subsidy on the ruling basis, which was £3. for £3.” Mr M. O. Grainger: “We s aid we wore prepared to go up to £38,000, but not for the additional £13,000.” The chairman: “No! I iniormed you that £12,300 would be required, and I understood that it was the opinion of the members that, provided tho subsidy was forthcoming from the Government, the board would carry on. I informed tho Minister of tho position and he granted ti c £3OOO. You will perhaps also remember my saying that we were committed for £3OOO, and if the Government granted the subsidy of £3OOO only a matter of £6300 would be required to bo raised.” Mr Chadwick stated that his difficulty had been in supplying the requirements of the three bodies he represented with tho information explaining why the additional £13,000 was required, which was apparently practically all for contingenCie THE CONTINGENT EXPENSES. From a detailed statement supplied to him by the secretary, the speaker then read the explanation of the demands, adding that had he and the other members had such information earlier, the various bodies might have held different views. The £13,666 was compiled as under, the whole amounts being payments and allowances for works, etc., which had been previously unforseen and not allowed for in the original estimate: —Erection of slab walls and 172 long columns which had to be boxed, £2544, such having been necessitated by the indifferent rock foundation which had been uncovered as the work progressed; increase in wages, over and above the original estimate, £2720; increased cost in tarring the road sunlaco, £1422; engineering expenses, £4060; legal expenses, £835; allowance for slips, £530; additional cost of carrying out the work by private contract, £600; surfaceman’s wages, £386; payment to contractors for the removal of slips, £274; bonus to contractors on account of slips, £265. Of the £B7OO now required from the contributing bodies, £2963 represented unpaid contributions on the basis of the original estimate of £37,963. At the conclusion, the chairman remarked that he had given such information to the members some two months ago, but Mr Chadwick said that the chairman’s figures had not Deen up-to-date. He was, he added, quite prepared to face his bodies again now that he had been furnished with the particulars, but he personally thought it a waste of time to approac.l tho Government at the present moment relative to the route being taken over.. Or the chairman reiterating his earlier romarks relative to his gaining the impression that tho members were prepared to go on with .he work conditionally on the Government giving an additional subsidy of £3OOO, Mr McElroy remarked that it was evident that there had been a misunderstanding, Mr Grainger adding that he had been also under the impression that they were committing themselves i p to the original estimate of £38,500. Mr Chadwick explained that, although he had been one of the original members of the board, ho had not previously been aware that certain items had not been ,showed for. The majority wero contingencies which could not be foreseen, but he was desirous that the contributing bodies should be informed why the £13,000 was requi -ed. If the bodies then desired to approach the Government, they could do so on their account. CARRYING ON. Mr McElroy enguired whether the board had sufficient money to carry on for a further month to enable the members to ascertain the views of the ratepayers, the chairman, ;n reply, stating that the current account of the board stood at dr. £4087 (limit £7000). If the work was carried on

the Government would contribute £4OOO, but if not proceeded with, the amount due from the Government would be only £I7OO. Further, if the work were to cease probably £IOOO or more would be forthcoming from the sale of plant, while of the £SOO allowed for slips, a portion would possibly not be required (o be expended. The whol i trouble, added the speaker, had been due to the fact that the amount of the cost had been prepared purely on a constructional basis on which the bonus was payable. . On the chairman seeking confirmation from Mr Jickell, the latter said that such was not correct, for originally the subsidy had been on the £1 for £1 basis, but such had been amended two years ago. The engineers’ fees had been included m the original estimate, and he proceeded to review the difference in the conditions winch had resulted since the commencement of tho work, the upward trend in prices for material, extra cost in wages and the additional expenditure entailed by tho transfer of the work to private tender. “It had been impossible to cater for all contingencies,” added the speaker, “for a slip alone had cost the board £300.” Tho work had been performed economically, and he did not hesitate to state that the work had been done well and faithfully by the overseer and his men. . . The chairman: “After all, it is a matter for the contributing bodies to decide.” Mr Batchelar announced that he was of the opinion that his body would bo prepared to go on, but Messrs Grainger and Cornelius said that they would not answer for tho* 3. Mr Grainger remarking that in any it would k>G difficult for local bodies to raise money at the present time. Tho chairman added that probably they oould expect £2OOO from the Government in the near future, while he thought the Palmerston North borough would not bo long in paying its quota. A general discussion ensued, the cnairman bringing the matter to finality by stating that ho presumed that the work would go on and that if the contributing bodies were against such, that they would voice their objections to the board and to the Government.

COUNCIL’S ATTITUDE. A protest against the amount of expenditure on the improvement of the Gorge road was received at tho meeting of . the Borough Council last night from the Woodville Borough Council, The latter forwarded a resolution on the matter which has already been published and which stated with regard to the proposed raising of further funds that the contributing local bodies wero already too heavily burdened and that the expense should not be increased, tho work, if necessary, being discontinued. The resolution again stressed the fact that the undertaking should be a national work. It was decided to take no action, the Mayor commenting that tho Government had already refused to make the undertaking a national work.