GRANTS WITHHELD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22629, 18 January 1937, Page 10

GRANTS WITHHELD

WHANGAREI ROAD WORKS COUNTY COUNCIL CLAIMS [from our owx correspoxdext] WHANGAREI, Saturday A number of claims made by the Whangarei County Council for the lifting of grants in respect to road works undertaken for the Public Works Department have been held up. The reason given by the district engineer of the Public Works Department, Mr. It. H. Packwood, for this course in most instances is the inadequacy of culverts and insufficient work on watercourses. The clerk, Mr. H. C. Hemphill, stated at yesterday's meeting of the Whangarei .County Council that 10 claims had been withheld and the matter was hecoming serious. The chairman, Mr. J. A. S. Mackay, said that most of the grants were for metalling only, and that no special instructions were given to the council to have the roads reconstructed before the metal was put on. The county engineer, Mr. J. Norris, said that about two years ago the Public Works Department's policy was to throw the responsibility for reconstruction upon the local body, subject to the metalling grant. This policy was gradually relaxed, : and 10 per cent was now allowed from the grants for adverting and preparation of surfaces. There was a limit to the economic expenditure which could be undertaken by the local body to lift the grants available, and in the present instances the departmental engineers were asking for a standard of work beyond ordinary requirements. No action was taken.