HIGHWAYS AFFAIRS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 190, 16 July 1925, Page 8

HIGHWAYS AFFAIRS

ANNUAL MEETING OF DISTRICT COUNCIL. MR HANNAH RE-ELECTED CHAIRMAN. The annual meeting of No. 9 District Highways Council was held this afternoon at the office of the Kairnnga County Council, the chairman, Mr J. Hannah, district Public Works engineer, presiding. The chairman presented an annual report, which, however, he said it was not desired to publish. Air Hannah was re-elected chairman and, thanking the county delegates for returning him to that office, said that, if he had ’been a little lax during the ptist year, it had’been due to pressure of business. MANAWATU RIVER BRIDGE. “There is a lot of correspondence about the Manavatu river bridge—let us discuss that,” said the chairman proceeding to business. “The Main Highways Board has put it on to the District Council to say who are to be the contributing bodies to the cost oi the bridge,” he added, but pointed out the difficulty which arose through two boroughs being involved —Shannon and Foxton.

Cr. Monk (Horowhenna County Council) said that his council now understood that the proposed new bridge would not be on a highway, although the old site, where the punt was in operation was on a main highway. His council wanted to know the position before it took further action. No local body could do much until it was known where they stood. If the matter rested alone with Manawatu and Horowhenna counties, they would lie certain of their position,, (but there seemed to he some confusion about the legal aspect of contributions from other bodies.

“We might ask the Highways Board that tile Act be altered to bring in boroughs as contributing bodies to main high way works,” said the chairman.

Replying to Cr. Monk, tho chairman said that the only way to get financial assistance from the Main Highways Board towards the building of a new bridge would bo to have the new road to the site, where it was proposed to build, constituted a main highway.

It was eventually decided that the matter would have to he held over until a meeting of executives of highways districts, to he held in ’Wellington, whereat consideration would be given to the matter of the inclusion of boroughs as contributing bodies and to the declaration of the road to he proposed new bridge as a main highway. Cr. Monk said that his council had ignored the private report obtained by the Shannon Dairy Co. on the possibilities of repairing the old bridge. REDUCED EXPENDITURE. Referring to the estimates, the chairman stressed the need for proceeding carefully during the coming year. Recent investigations, he added, had revealed the fact that the amount of maintenance per mile was often far greater than had been generally supposed. Cr. Campbell (Oroua County Council) : As motor traffic increases so will the maintenance costs. The chairman concurred, and incidentally mentioned that there were many lengths of main roads where a gravel surface would last lor many years to come.

Cr- Monk thought that- gravei was too expensive—on the roads with which he was concerned at any rate. The chairman said that uniformity of size was an important feature in making a good wearing gravel surface. The amount available for. maintenance of roads, continued the chairman, would be the same as last year, hut there would be a lesser sum than last year’s available for reconstruction works. MAINTENANCE OF HOUSES.

The chairman read correspondence which he said went to show that the Alain Highways Board would favour assisting any practical housing schemes set afoot by local bodies as a sequel to their road works. PLANS FOR BRIDGES.

It was suggested by Cr. Campbell that the Government should supply the necessary plans for bridges constructed or reconstructed on main highways. The Government now had a large say in the building of such bridges, and in any case had to pass the plans.

The chairman said that it had not been done in the past, except in special cases, and it was thought that local bodies should continue to have their own engineers prepare the necessary plans and specifications. “Of course, if you made the plans they would not have to he submitted for inspection,” observed Cr. Monk, “but I know that yoy won’t do it.” PAEKAKARIKI AND RBIUTAKA ROADS.

“I hope that the Packakariki hill and Riniutaka roads are not going to be put hack on. to us until we get on our feet after dealing with other roads,” said Cr. McKay (liutt County Council), when Cr. Monk moved that the delegation of nearly all main highways in the highways district hack to tho respective county councils be expedited. !

“We want to get control again as soon as possible,” observed Cr. Monk.

Cr. McKay voiced appreciation of what the Main Highways Board Itacl done in regard to the two roads mentioned, but said that it was desired that the board attend to them for a while longer. “The board, 1 know, has made an impossible task possible,” lie said. Cr.. McKay moved as an amendment to Cr. Monk’s motion that the delegation back to county councils he sought of all roads, with the exception of certain lengths of Paremata, Paekakariki hill and Riniutaka hill roads, which it was thought should remain in the control of the board for some time yet.

Cr. Monk agreed to withdraw his motion and the amendment was therefore carried. All, lie said, realised the splendid work being done in the Hutt County and he agreed that the Hutt County Council should he assisted as far as possible. 11 the road lengths excepted ran through rich country, he added, it would be a different matter.

“We would like to get on with our new work, which is the heaviest in the Dominion,” said Cr. McKay. He added that, in view of that aspect, it was not desired to immediately have replaced on the care of the council the road lengths referred to, more especially having regard to the fact that heavy slips might occur on some of them. “We took on a huge task but the Government has come to our assistance and made it possible,” ire said. PAYMENTS TO COUNCILS. Cr. Monk suggested that payments to local bodies in respect to main highways work be in future made monthly instead of quarterly. The chairman offered no objection so far as his office was concerned.