DISTRICT HIGHWAY COUNCILS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16174, 10 July 1923, Page 5

DISTRICT HIGHWAY COUNCILS.

GROUPING OF COUNTIES. GISBORNE DISTRICT NO, 4. The Counties of Cook, UaWa, Waikohu, Waiapu and Matakaoa will, r under the Main Highways’ Act, 1922, form a district administered by a District Highways Council consisting of one representative of each county council and the district engineer of the. Public Works Department. According to a circular received -by the C'ook County Council, the Dominion will 'be divided into eighteen districts, comprising groups of counties.' The five counties of the East Coast area will be known as Gisborne Highways District No. 4. " The object of the grouping system is to combine the counties haying community of interest, besides geographical and other interests ; in common. The circular has appended j a schedule showing the- grouping proposed in this part of the country, and ; setting out populations, areas, valuations, ' rating values, and lengths of. roads comj piled from the statistical returns.. The ■ various councils are asked to signify their assent to or dissent from the proposals. The area of the Gisborne (No. 4) district is 5082 square miles, the popula- ! tion 12.928, capital value £18,130.000, rates collected £132,919, miles of-metal-led roads 319, unmetalled 779, miles of tracks and unformed road 439. The Main Highways Board, Wellington, has also written to the various , Councils, concurring in the suggested | grouping, and 1 urging expedition in the | appointment of the County members taf I the District Council. The Act comes into operation on April 1, 1924, and it is essential that the grouping and conse- ■ quential setting-up of the District Councils be disposed of at the earliest possible date. A conference of county delegate is recommended as the best means of arriving at a decision as to f whether or not the suggested grouping is satisfactory. Once the District Council is set up, the councils can arrange to commence their investigations of its requirements and* the preparation of its recommendations to the Board.