SUBURBAN ROAD WORKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18964, 11 March 1925, Page 11

SUBURBAN ROAD WORKS.

MT. WELLINGTON ACTIVITIES. GREAT SOUTH ROAD CONCRETE. Advice has been received from the Minister for Finance that the Mount Wellington Road Board will be authorised to pay 6 per cent, interest on £IO,OOO of the £30,000 loan, authorised by ratepayers for road improvements. The Minister added that the board's application for the validation of two minor inaccuracies in the procedure of the loan proposals had been granted. The chairman, Mr. J. Wood, said at the meeting of tho board on Monday that the information concluded a long and wearisome series of negotiations. Applications for tho consent of the Minister to the raising of the loan, and for an Order-in-Council authorising the board to pay a rate of interest in excess of per cent., as prescribed by law, were made immediately tho poll was carried. Consent, was obtained in due course for the raising of the loan, and tho board was authorised to pay only 5| per cent, interest. Every endeavour was made to obtain the money at the rate prescribed without success, and strong representations were made to the Minister for Finance to increase the rate to 6 per cent. At last advico was received that tho board wonld be authorised to pay 6 per cent, interest on £IO,OOO of the £30,000. The money was now in sight. He regretted that the season was getting too late to commence the bitumen work, which would be pressed vigorously forward in the early summer. The concrete construction on the Great South Road could proceed at an early date, when some technical matters had been attended to and tenders arranged. The board's interests were being watched regarding an intimation from the Minister for Public Works, that £20.000 may be made available this year from the State Advances Department for the Great South Road, from One Tree Hill to Papakura. The board would require its just share of this sum. which would be lent at a low rate of interest. Tho board conld not tolerate a position whereby the district would be penalised for taking tho initiative in construction. The board's portion of t.he Great South Road is about one and a-half miles in length. There are two stretches—from Penrose station to Church Street, One« bunga, and from St, Ann's Bridge to Portage Road, Otahnhu.