SEALING OF ROADS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 9, 9 December 1936, Page 8

SEALING OF ROADS

IN MANAWATU COUNTY. REPORTS TO BE OBTAINED. As the outcomo of tho placing of a memorandum before the Manawatu County Council, yesterday, by the chairman (Cr. IV. E. Barber) the council decided to secure complete reports on the advisability of undertaking a comprehensive plan of road sealing while cheap loan money could be secured, and before the usefulness of the tramway for transporting roading materials comes to an end. The memorandum was as follows: “With the completion of the No. 1 highway between Himatangi and Sanson, it would appear that the life of the tramway is within measurable distance of its end. The tramway lias been a wonderful asset to the district in many ways, but it looks as if before long settlers who are still using it for transport of their goods will have to find other means. Of late years the greatest use the tramway has been put to is the haulage of construction materials for main highways, and it has been a big factor in keeping costs down. Before, however, the question of closing down is dealt with, I am of opinion that the question of county requirements (as well as further highway requirements) should receive serious consideration. The highways have received benefits by' way of cheap haulage of construction metal and I think some scheme should be devised whereby county roads shoulci receive a similar benefit. The requirements of the county for internal roads call for consideration of a comprehensive roading scheme. We have practically but one source of supply of road materials available at anything like a reasonable cost, and it is important that the council should be cognisant of all the facts on this matter before our chief transport facility is done away with. We also have the plant and organisation for the supply of necessary graded materials at our crushing plant, and to be able to work this plant economically, it is necessary that transport should be available to deal with the quantities that can be turned out daily. Particularly is this important where the construction work is distant from the source of supply. Without the tramway we would be laced with • heavy costs for other means of transport. If or when the tram is scrapped there are certain factors which would have to be faced, such as increased cost of maintenance of roads in the lower end of the county owing to extra cost for metal and then the roads having to carry extra heavy traffic which at present goes over rails. I would like the councillors to consider whether it would not be a wise policy to place before the ratepayers a proposal to raise a loan to reconstruct and seal the chief of our internal roads. Money at the present time can be obtained at a low rate of interest and with maintenance costs rising owing to labour conditions it may be more economical to pay interest, than have to pay increased rates and still have indifferent roads. So that all aspects of the position can be considered, I would suggest that the executive officers be instructed to bring down a report dealing with the economic, financial and engineering points of view on the whole situation.” Commenting further, the chairman said that the time had arrived for the council to consider what amount of the rates was being expended in maintenance. It might be that a comprehensive scheme of sealing of internal roads would eventually place the county oh a better basis financially. It was a matter that required careful thought and full investigation. Cr. J. H. Perrett considered there was a lot in what the chairman had placed before the meeting. Cr. .T. Boyce also thought the matter well worth full consideration.

Cr. Perrett thought the Main Highways Board should be advised that the' tramway might be closed down before. very long. Cr. D. W. Reid: They might take over our tramway 1 The council decided to follow the chairman’s suggestion.