HIGHWAY'S MAINTENANCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20977, 14 September 1931, Page 10

HIGHWAY'S MAINTENANCE.

WAITOMO COUNTY POSITION. BOARD'S OFFER DECLINED. [i-'i:OM lU'U OWN conui'sroNDKN'r.] TE KUITI, Saturday. At the meeting of the Waitomo County Council, Mr. 11. H. Browne, assistant engineer, was appointed county engineer, in place of Mr. M. Fennell, who recently resigned. Mr. Browne has been in tho seivice of the county for about 11 years. !t was decided to support a remit from tho Waiinea County Council asking ('hat legislation b c introduced rendering tho Crown liable for rates on any property acquired by the Crown.

With reference 1o various highways contributions by the county, the Highways Board advised in respect of tho ffangitiki-To Kuiti sectiup that it was prepared to take over the maintenance on condition that <lie council paid an annual contribution of £4O a mile. With a view to assisting tho county, the board had decided in respect of the. To Kuiti-Pio Pio and Pio Pio-Mahoenui sections, that tho rate of contribution should be £4O a milo for tho present financial year, in both cases. J.his represented n reduction of £ls and £5 a milo respectively. Tho effect of the board's offer woujd mean that it would assume responsibility for tho mainterieneo of tho whole of the Auck-land-Wellington, via Taratiaki, main highway, through the county with tho exception of Iho To Kuiti-Pio Pio section.

After so mo discussion it was decided that, as tiie council's financial position would not permit of the meeting of the payments, even' oil tho reduced scale, and in anticipation of its recent petition to the Government in this connection meeting with success, the council could not enter into any new arrangements.