County Council’s Problems

Northern Advocate, 25 May 1938, Page 7

County Council’s Problems

“The problems of local bodies of the past were comparatively simple compared with the problems of today with the heavy wear and tear of modern transport and the demand for adequate reading facilities for both business and pleasure,’’ remarked Mr J. A. S. Mac Kay, chairman of the Whangarei County Council, in his report to the annual meeting of the council today.

“During the past year, difficulty was experienced in coping with the Government’s active programme for reading improvements,” the chairman continued. ’ln addition to the ordinary county grants, the five-year programme was launched, w hie It in addition to the extensive reading development scheme put in hand by the Public Works Department and the Main Highways Board, has made it somewhat difficult to find sufficient contractors to go round.

“However, in the circumstances, very fair progress has been made so far as this county is concerned, but in view of the Government’s declared, intention of speeding up the development of roads to provide every producer with reasonable access, I suggest that probably new methods will require to be considered to meet the situation and to cope with the lack of contractors.

Metal-Crushing Rates,

"In this connection, I suggest the advisability of considering, and with the approval of the Distinct Engineer so far as Government moneys are concerned, fixing standard rates for crushing metal in each individual quarry throughout the county, together with a fixed cubic-yard mile rate for carting metal or gravel. Some such scheme would, in my opinion, encourage suitable people to provide the necessary equipment in return for some degree of security of employment of plant, ‘ Under the present system, people are not prepared to invest capital in plant, and risk obtaining work under competitive methods. Moving the adoption of the report, Mr T. N. Blake commented on the full information it contained. He considered the references to the fixation of prices for crushed metal and for carting should provoke further discussion before any decision was made. The present system regarding crushed metal contracts was unfair to the competitive contractor, he thought. The principle of fixed prices for carting was correct, but there would have to be careful consideration of the whole matter before anything and the report was adopted without was done.

Mr R. Feaver seconded the motion further discussion.