ROAD POLICY WANTED.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 15873, 12 July 1922, Page 9

ROAD POLICY WANTED.

CR. BALL ASKS FOR ACTION

SUITABILITY OF METALS

As a means of opening up for debate, apparently, the policy, or alleged lack of policy, in regard to the Borough toads, Cr. Ball last evening moved, in accordance with notice given, that the Council dispense with the .services of its inspector at the- Motuhora quarry. The ensuing discussion did not enter deeply into the question of policy, but eventually, by common consent, the Engineer was asked to submit to the Council at a later date an outline of a policy for discussion bv the councillors.

Prior to introducing his motion, Cr. Ball said that for the information of the Council he would like to know how many yards of Motuhora metal the Council had had during the past 12 months.

Mr McDonald (the Engineer) replied that for the 12 months ending in June, 1922, the Council had had about 3COO yards. The Motuhora company had had a break in its operations. "Have you any idea what wc will gel this coming 12 months, when we have no loan money?" asked Cr. Ball.

The Engineer replied about. 1000 cubic yards for the 12 months.

Cr. Ball later brought forward his notice of motion, pointing out that there was no reflection upon the work of the inspector, who apparently knew hid job and did it well. The question was one of principle. The Motuhora Coy. was supplying material to the Council, and had the onus of supplying material that was up to sample. While the inspector was maintained the responsibility was on the Council. During the coming year the cost of inspection per yard for 1000 cubic yards would be ss. per yard. Tho Mayor said that tho inspector was only employed when the quarry was working,, and the Engineer stated that tho cost of inspection amounted to Is. 9d per yard, or per cent, of the cost of the metal.

Cr. Ball, continuing, questioned whether the, metal was the l>est that could be got in the district. Tho west side of* Peel street, costing about £1 per yard, had shown signs of breaking up already, and it contrasted badly with the east side of the street, which had been down eight years. Again, the piece of road at Mangapapa, put down as an experiment, at about 5s per cubic yard, had lasted better than anything in the town, lie did not know whether the result in Peel street, on the. west side, was due to tho way the bitumen had been applied. He deplored the lack of a reading policy, and suggested the putting aside of a sufficient amount for experimental purposes. He referred to tho report supplied by the Commission of Engineers in 1921, 'which stated that the best metal was obtainable at the Public Works and Cook County quarries. This report stated also that the stone from Motuhora was not suitable for bituminous roads, nor was the Waipaoa gravel suitable for concrete work. The Mayor suggested that Cr. Ball was getting away from his motion, and was going on to a wide field of discussion.

Or. Ball said that the motion was moved with the object of opening .up tho subject. The Council had taken no action on the question of the report. Ho maintained that something should have been done, and that money could be putaside for experimental purposes. A sum of £IOOO could be set aside for this purpose without further burdening the ratepayers. The Council had done nothing in years, and was still pottering about without a definite policy. The Mayor thought that Or. Ball should ask permission to amend his motion, to enable the Council to discuss the wider field.

Cr. Ball said that his next point was that the Motuhoi.v metal was not suitable, according to the report of the engineers, for either concrete or asphalt work, and therefore he thought that the inspector's services were unnecessary-

Cr. Bowie seconded the motion pro forma. Cr. Ball had mentioned that no experiments had been made. As he understood it, the experiments had been going on for years, and he suggested that the;' motion shoiild'be "amended,so as to ask the Engineer to bring down a report as to which of the various pieces of road had given the best results, and as to what metal would be suitable and obtainable'at a reasonable cost

The Mayor said that he understood that Cr. Ball had seized the handle offered to open up the question of a, road policy. The Engineer stated that the Patutahi limestone was the only stone he know that would be suitable for roadmaking. He had told the Council a year ago that the Motuhora metal was not suitable for use with bitumen. It might be possible to get a. geological survey of I'atutahi which might indicate where the Council could get access to the desposit. CV. Todd said that Cr. Ball's effort to open the question of roads was an attempt to get in by the baok door. He thought it would be better to go - to the front door, by giving notice of motion to have the whole question discussed from all aspects. Cr. Bowie said that it would be a mistake to discharge a man for .the purpose of opening the matter up. Ihe Mayor stated that one of the reasons for the maintenance of the inspector was that the Council, if it rejected metal when it arrived in town, would be liable for the railage under the agreement with the company. The Engineer, at the request of "the Mayor, explained 'the duties of the inspector. It was impracticable to inspect tlie broken stone at this end of the line, and if the Council dispensed with the services of its inspector,' then ho would have no course but to recommend that the Counsel cease to purchase metal from the Motuhora Company. Cr. Ball held that the metal could be inspected at this end. Even with the inspector oh the job the Council was not getting the class of stone it should have got. The Council should have taken steps, he said, to ascertain what opportunity there was of getting metal from Patutahi, or whether it would be more advantageous to get it from Duuedin. He was quite willing to alter his motion so as to allow the Council to postpone the discussion for another evening, if the Council so desired.

The Mayor said that ho would, be more pleased if Cr. Ball would do so. The Engineer could, if the Council wanted it, submit a report upon. a.road, policy. - ■ Ci\. Ball was amenable to this proposal. l'iY'i The Engineer asked if it would bo a policy to make roads out of nothing? ■ Cr.' Ball • said that if the Engineer could not suggest anything it might have been better for him to have gone ahead with his motion. He could suggest something, if the Engineer could not. , , ■,, The matter was left to the Engineer.