MAIN NORTH ROAD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17039, 25 June 1917, Page 3

MAIN NORTH ROAD.

••JPOT-HOOCS" DST THE ROADWAY. "VISIT OF INSPECTION. oomo time ago it was decided to spend £1000 on repairing tho Main North road from tho Upper Junction to Kvanedalo, £200 oi this amount being donated by tho Otago Motor Club, £300 by tho Waikouaiti Oounty Council, and tho Uovernmont providing a subsidy of pound for pound. As motorists considered that this £1000 will not bo euHJcient to carry out tho necessary work in anything like a comprehensive manner, the Motor Club arranged to motor a party over the road on Saturday, to givo on actual demonstration of the stretches of "pot holes" on the road and the manner in which the overhanging shrubs in some places keep the highway in a wet condition, and ultimately, through frost, etc, affect ha Surface. Motorists complain that tho "Waikouaiti Oounty Council has not faced its responsibilities so far ae this road is conearned, as its rating is only Jd in tho pound, and also assort that a fair proportion of the rate ia not expended on the Main zoad.

The care ran out as far as Evanedale, and after a short wait, returned to Waitati, where the visitors wero entertained at the Saratoga. House to. afternoon tea. After tea Mr A. E. M'Dougall (captain of the club) briefly stated tho object of the trip. He said it was to ehow the councillors of tie Waikouaiti County Council, members of Parliament, particularly, and tho other gentlemen who had been asked to make the journey the deplorable state hi which the load north from the junction to Evansdalo had got into hi the last lew years. Among the apologies ho had received was ono from Mr A. Walker, M_P, who said he would be pleased to assist his Parliamentary colleagues in any effort to put tho road in good repair. Mr E P. Lee,' M.P., wrote that he had motored over tho road and that it was hi a very bad state. Ho would be at all times pleased to do anything in the interests of motoring. Cr Kilpatrick (Waikouaiti County Council) in tho course of his remarks, said the land abutting on the Main road was poorly populated, and very few settlers used the rood. This land was poor. Tho rates from the North-East-Valley riding came to £290, and thoso from the Bhieskin riding to £493, the total being £783. A third of that sum, however —£261—wae taken for charitable aid. There were nine and .ahalf miles of roads hi the two ridings, and the estimated charge for upkeep was £80 a milo, or roughly £760. The rases from land adjoining tho Main North road in the North-East Valley riding were £33, and thoso from similar land in the Blueskin riding £57, a total of £90. A third of this-r----£3O-7was required for the Charitable Aid Board, so that they had £60 to keep in order a stretch of road which really required very much moro* They could, therefore, see that it was quite beyond the oounty to keep the road in a good state. Tho speaker concluded by referring to the change in the character oi the tramo on the road during the past few years. Or Orbell (Waikouaiti - County Council) said that tho Waikouaiti County Council could not undertake to put the mam road in repair from Duncdin City to Evansdale for the simple reason that' the council had not the money. Tho contracts for the spending of tho £1000 already in hand were now being colled for, and the work would be begun as soon as possible. That sum, however, was only a email part of the expenditure which was required. The road was used by the outside public a good deal more than by the ratepayers of Waikouaiti, and the county had a claim for outside assistance. county waa in exactly the eame position as the Green Island Borough, and they were eagerly awaiting the report of the commissioner who recently went into the question of what adjacent local bodies should be called upon to pay to the Green Island Borough. If the Government could be prevailed on to give them a grant of £2000 the county would, ho waa sure, subsidise it to the extent of jeiOOO. Ho hoped- tho members would strongly impress the claims of the county on the powers' that be.

Cr Laley (Waikouaiti County Council) endorsed the remarks of the previous councillors. He 6aid that when the Scotch Commissioners were in New Zealand they had stated that a farmer who could make a living on the poor land adjacent to the road along Mount Cargill could make a living anywhere in the world. Cr Laley said he supposed evury one of those present could buy and sell the whole of the settlers on this poor land.—(Loud surprise and "No No."). The Mayor (Mr J. J. Clark) said that one must have a certain amount of hesitation in approaching the Government for grants at a. time like fchfa. After tho war there wotdd be thousands of men coming back, end he believed that a considerable amount of work would have to bo done in the construction of arterial roads. Aa regards tho Charitable Aid Board tax, he thought this tax had a fair claim on the Consolidated ' Fund.—(" Hear, hear. , *) A tyre tax might also be imposed, the proceeds to be devoted to the upkeep of the main roads. Their sympathies were with the Waifcbuafti County, and if Dnnedin or rbs citizens could do anything to help they would do it.- -(Applnuee.) Mr T. K. SMej, M.P., eaid he thooght the Waikouaiti County had established a case. It was nprite clear thai; the county could not itself keep the road in a condition which .would be suitable for motor traffic No doubt the solution would be found on this roads question in the Government taking over t&» arterial roads, but that appeared to be soma distance ahead. He thought they shonld get the Otagb members together and approach the Minister of Public Works on the position of the Waikouaiti County Council—the fact that ft was prepared to berp itself should weigh with tho Government—and put the matter before hhn na strongly aa possible. Mr Statham, M.P , said lie agreed that they must wait upon the Minister of Public Works «nd place the matter before him. The difficulty was that similar lemnnds were boiner made from all over 1 w Zealand. What particularly impressed him waa that while they could not say tr%t tho road waa a very bad one -f the present time, as compared •»nth # what ho hac 1 spen on tho north roads during the recent Parliamentary trip, it was in a condition where, tfsomethfne: was not done, it would rnpidlv g-o on deteriorating , . He, too, looked forward fco the time when the Government would take over tho arterial roads. Ho considered the formation of such roads with concrete wonld rrrom e success. A vote of thanks >k tbe Motor CTub was carried by acclamation, and a stnrt wns then made for thr> run home, Dunedin being reached a.hout half past 5.