Better County Roads Foreshadowed

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 291, 9 December 1936, Page 3

Better County Roads Foreshadowed

IN MANAWATU COUNTY SANSON TRAMWAY MAY BE SCRAPPED Wrapped up in a consideration of the fate of the Sanson tramway which is reported to bo within measurable distance of its end, is the question of improving the condition of the county roads in the Manawatu county, and at yesterday’s meeting of the County Council, the chairman, Cr. W. E. Barber, made a statement in which ho foreshadowed the preparation of a comprehensive scheme for treating the county roads before the tramway was scrapped. Cr. Barber said: “With the completion of the No. 1 highway between Ilimatangi and Sanson, it would appear that the life of the tramway is within measurable distance of its end. The tram has been a wonderful asset to the district in many ways but it looks as if before long the settlers who are st.yi using it for transport of their goods will have to find other means. Of late years the greatest uso the tram lias 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, 1 am of opinion that the question of county requirements (as well as further highway requirements) should re ceivo serious consideration. Tho highways have received benefits by way of cheap haulago of construction metal and I think some scheme should be devised whereby county roads should receive a similar benefit.

“The requirements of the county for internal roads calls for consideration of a comprehensive roading scheme,” ho said. ‘‘ 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 facts on this matter before our chief transport facility is done away with. We also have tho plant and organisation for the supply of necessary graded materials at our crushing plant aud to be ablo to work this plant economically it is necessary that transport should be available to deal with the quantitiesthat can bo turned out daily. Particularly is this important where the construction work is distant from the source of supply. Without the tramway we would be * faced with heavy costs for other means of transport. If or when the tram is scrapped there are certain factors which wouil 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 tho 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 beforo 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 anti engineering points of view on the whole situation.”

Concluding, the chairman said that he offered the foregoing remarks for the consideration of councillors because he felt that there might be something in a comprehensive scheme which had for its objective the placing of tho council on a better footing. Cr. J. H. Perrett felt that tho chairman’s report was full of “grist.” He agreed that many of the comity roads could be sealed beforo the tramway was scrapped. The council adopted tho suggestion that the executive officers of the council bring down a special report.