HIGHWAY SUBSIDY WANTED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 201, 15 July 1936, Page 11

HIGHWAY SUBSIDY WANTED

COUNCIL AND MAIN HIGHWAY

COMPARISON OF ROUTES

Further reference was made at the Kairanga County Council meeting, yesterday, to the endeavours being made to secure a £5 to £1 subsidy for tho improvement of tho No. GO Highway (Palmerston North-Shannon, via Linton) and comparisons were made with the Makerua Plains Road, which it is proposed to take over as ;i State highway. The position now is that the Government _ has offered a £3 to £1 subsidy for the No. GO route, .and members have been pressing lor some time to have this increased to the higher amount. It. was eventually decided to seek a conference _ with the Minister and the Public Works engineers at Rangitane to go into the matter. „ The chairman (Cr. D. Collis) said that a deputation from the council had waited on the Minister of Public Works at Wellington, and, while not opposing the Makerua Plains Road being declared a State highway, had stressed the necessity, for No. 60 highway being treated in a similar manner. It bad teen pointed out that the Makerua Plains route would not provide an allweather route because of liability to flooding. ’llie Minister had listened attentively to the deputation and had promised to give the request consideration, but so far no intimation of Ins decision had come to hand. Later in the month, Cr. Collis pro--coeded, a conierence had been held in Palmerston North with a representatives of the Main Highways Board in regard to the reconstruction of the first tour miles of No. GO highway, from the Fitzlierbert bridge southwards. The Public Works Department desired to find employment for some ot the men who had been put off the Milson aerodrome work, and had offered a subsidy of £3 for £1 for the work proposed on No. GO highway. The county, however, thought that it should receive a five-to-one subsidy, just as other counties had received lor similar work. The result was that the work was at present held up. Cr. Jos. Batclielar said the deputation to the Minister had not objected to the Makerua route being declared a State highway, but had pointed out that neither the Whirokino nor the Makerua road was an all-weather route, whereas No. GO highway was. It was no use hugging the Manawatu River, stated Cr. T. D. Lynch. An allweather road was essential, and he thought that, if the engineers discussed the matter on the spot, they would arrive at the same opinion. Cr. F. J- Russell asked if tar-sealmg through the Makerua swamp would be successful. Or. j\J. W. Voss said it would not. The swamp route was still sinking. Cr. Batclielar remarked that the council was seeking a £5 to £1 subsidy for the No. GO highway on account of the fact that it now had to pay higher wages, and would probably have the 40-hour week to contend with.. The chairman remarked tlmt the work of improvement • was urgent, but they could not tackle it on a£3to £1 subsidy. Other counties were on the higher rate. Members: Why shouldn t we got itP Tho chairman said he was prepared to do his test. The Manawatu County Council were ‘’on a win m getting the 'Whirokino ramp done tor them at no cost to the county. He was strongly in favour of pressing the request in connection with No. 09 I highway. The Manawatu County Council received a £5 to £1 subsidy on certain work it had undertaken. The engineer (Mr L. C. Pickering) pointed out that they had spent LIJ,000 on roads before the Main Highways Board took them over. Cr. Lvnch said the uhlic Works Department engineers should lie shown the damage done by the flooding of the Makerua Plains road. 'flic engineer said there was no doubt that the banks put up by the River Board had aggravated the positlo<> Lvnch further suggested that tliev should get the Public Works Department representatives on the spot. He thought that a conference between the Public Works Department and the council should be held. He moved in that direction, the conference to Inbetween members of the council, tho two local members of Parliament, and the Public Works Department and the Minister, if possible, at Rangitane, as soon as possible. The motion was carried. It was also decided to continue the agitation for a £5 to £1 subsidy for the No. GO highway work.