HIGHWAY WORK DELAYED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22344, 15 February 1936, Page 15

HIGHWAY WORK DELAYED

ENGINEER'S ADVERSE REPORT INSUFFICIENT CONSOLIDATION [BY TFXEORAPII —OWN CORRESPONDENT] WHANGAREI. Friday The position of the reconstruction and scaling work on the Kamo-Hiku-rangi highway was before the Whangarei County Council again to-day. The chairman, Mr J. A. >S. Mackay. reported upon a conference with Mr R. H. P. Ronavne, as representatiic of the Main Highways Board, as to whether the main portions of the highway were in a fit condition to seal this season Mr. Ronavne had made it definitely clear that he was not satisfied that the surface was in a fit condition to seal this season, chiefly for the reason that the required consolidation could not now be prepared. He could not recommend the Main Highways Board to approve of the work being undertaken in the present unsatisfactory condition of the road. Mr. Ronavne considered that the road should be completed at the corners without further delay and the whole length (with the exception of the deviation at the Hikurangi end) adequately maintained with a view to sealing next seasrtn. The financial position was referred to at the conference bv Mr. F. Elliott, who had said it was impossible for the Hikurangi Riding to continue finding its share of the money on what now appeared to lie an indefinite programme. The work carried out had already cost over CI 000.

" 1 am absolutely fed lip with the road and if there was a county election to-niorrow 1 would not be a candidate, and I would not need running shoes either," said Mr. Elliott in discussing the chairman's report. " This is the first time during my long term of office chat I have had a debit balance. I cannot understand why the two engineers could not have agreed on the depth of consolidation required. The position is very serious indeed, but further talking by me will not improve the position," said Mr. Elliott. The report was received.