REQUESTS REFUSED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 8, 7 December 1937, Page 9

REQUESTS REFUSED

BOARD’S ATTITUDE. DECLARATION OF HIGHWAYS. BEACH ROAD OBLIGATION. Two main requests were placed before the members of the Main Highways Board when they visited the Manawatu County Council offices to-day—that the three and.aquarter miles of road from Awahuri to the Longburn-llongotea Road (known as Green ltoad) and the length of Frecklington’s Line from the Bulls highway to Campion’s Line be declared main highways. It was pointed out that the first-mentioned length was the more important by a considerable degree, but the deputy-chairman of' the board (Mr A. J. Baker) indicated that the board would not grant the request. He also spoke of the .Foxton .Beach Road, and emphasised particularly that there was an’ obligation on' the County Council to have the road sealed. The board expected the council to proceed with that undertaking. The members of the board present were, in addition to Mr Baker, Messrs M. H. Wynyard, W. Morrilon and J. W. Scott, while there were also in attendance Messrs G. W.’ Albertson (highways engineer), G. \V. Knapp (secretary of the’ board) and A. R. Acheson (resident engineer of the Public Works Department. The members of the council in attendance were Crs. W. E. Barber (chairman), R. A. Wilson, D. W. Reid, J. H. Perrett, A. N. Morcom and AV. E. Pearce, while Messrs A. K. Drew (county clerk) and .H. V. Bond (county engineer) were also present. THE REPRESENTATIONS. Welcoming the party, Cr. Barber expressed appreciation of the manner in which previous requests had been met by the board. He asked if there was any chance of having the three and a-quarter miles of road from Awaliuri to the Longburn-llongotea Road declared a main highway. The majority of the ratepayers in the county used that road to reach Feilding, the market town. Then there was also Frecklington’s Line from the - Bulls highway to Campion’s Line. The council felt that the internal roads had not had as much done to them as might have been done. Consideration had .been given to raising a ■ loan to deal with those roads as . a group. The chairman read a recent petition from 133 ratepayers, emphatically protesting against the sealing of the Foxton Beach Road before the more important internal roads. The loan proposed was for a sum in the vicinity of £50.000, and it ■would assist the council greatly if one of the two roads were taken over as a highway—either Green Road or the section of Frecklington’s Line. The speaker stressed the amount of traffic using the internal main routes. Mr Bond pointed out that the three and a-quarter miles of Green Road formed a gap in a system of roods already declared highways which led to Feilding. If the two lengths were not declared main highways, said the chairman, the comprehensive sealing scheme could not be proceeded with. Cr. Perrett.’said 91 square miles of county area would be served by the road to . Feilding, of which the Long-burn-Rongotea Road to Awahuri was a part. The road from Awahuri to Feilding wa.s now to be sealed, and that was a continuation of the other. The chairman pointed out that the Longburn-Rongotea Road was a mam highway now, and Cr. .Morcom (who resides in that area) said he received more complaints from , the travelling public than the ratepayers as to the condition of the Longburn-Rongotea Road. It would have to be sealed. It carried a great amount of lorry traffic and also a verv appreciable amount going to the beach at Tangimoana. Referring to the sealing of the Beach Road, the chairman said the Foxton Borough Council and the Harhour Board, under a 10-year repayment plan (in place of the. 21-year plan originally proposed) would be called on to pay £6O .a year—which might be a stumbling block. The estimate for sealing the road was £II.UUU, but the onlv tender received had been nearly £14.000. If a loan proposal were placed before the ratepayers it would be turned down. The council, however, meant to do -what it could. Cr. Reid pointed out that the heliding stock sale was one of the most important in New Zealand, a.nd that naturally meant heavy live stock cartage on the roads, in addition to a large volume of car traffic. THE BOARD’S VIEW. In the course of his reply, the deputy-chairman of the board said that during their tour he had ha.d to explain that in recent years the board had been in a difficult position in respect to applications, for new highways, because, however much they desired to meet the local bodies on those requests, the board members had liad to say “No” consistently. All knew that the present system of main highways was below requirements, and the board had had to undertake a major scheme to bring them up to a standard which the traffic justified. The board had had to undertake deviations and to get rid of the dust nuisance. The volume of work had been so large that the board had had to say “No” to any increase in the length of mam highways, except in very minor adjustment. However, the representations would be carefully noted. The board recognised that Green Road was a very desirable and essential length to be a mam highway in the county system. He bon d not say any more; the hoard would note the remarks and consider the i quest when the time came for a future review. The prospects were that the board would not be able to change decision which had been arrived at a couple of months ago when a similar request had been made in the usual annual applications. The hoard, with a very great deal of regret, had had to refuse. FOXTON REACH ROAD. Referring to the Foxton Beyich Roau, Mr Baker asked the council to consider the great benefits received through the taking over of certain main highways in the county as State highways. The saving to the council effected by that action in respect of tie Foxton-Sanson Road has been £3600. and the council was now no longer involved in the cost of future works such as the rebuilding of bridges. The council was committed to the completion of the Beach Road. The Highways Board had made a very fair offer in offering to lend the council their share of the cost of the sealing, over a ten-vear period. There was a definite obligation on the council to go on with that work. “There is certainlv foreign traffic on the road,” added Air Baker, “but the time has gone by wlipn local considerations can govern a highway or loading policy, and the fact that the council lias received such major benefits irom

the State highways scheme shows that the council could undertake the responsibilities of sealing Beach Road. The board is looking to the county to go on with the work.” ' The council had not been satisfied with the tender received, the speaker remarked, but it was thought that if the council called for tenders under two headings—one for the preparation of tlte road surface and the other for sealing it—-a better figure might be received. . “The position is this: Beach Road first, and then the Longburn-Rongotea Road sealing,” said Mr Baker. “The board has not made any provision this year for the Longburn-Rongotea Road, but you can get on with tlnr next year. I have no doubt that provision” will be made for the LongburnRonogtea Road sealing.” .- Cr Barber thanked the sneaker tor his explanation of the position and stressed the fact that the councillors considered they had a good claim for the declaration of Green Road as a main highway. The claim would he made again as the council was pusn-ij-jcr the barrow” of the ratepayers, who were disappointed that large sums had been spent on the through highways while not so much had been devoted to the internal roads. , P Cr Reid extended the compliments ot the season -to the visitors, Mr Baker returning the good wishes.