CURIO BAY ROAD SUBSIDY

Southland Times, Issue 24237, 21 September 1940, Page 7

CURIO BAY ROAD SUBSIDY

NEGOTIATIONS PROCEEDING Reporting on the latest stage reached in the negotiations with the Government ovex' the subsidy to be granted on the cost of the completion of the Curio Bay road, the, Southland County clerk (Mr H. C. Gimblett) told the County Council yesterday that he had received a letter from the Hon. Adam Hamilton giving information of an interview with the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple). The Minister had been unable to agree to any increase in th? subsidy rate, but he 1 stated that he had already informed the council -that should it consider the work to be more urgent than other items for which provision had been made, and would nominate items to be deferred, the granting of a subsidy of £2 to £1 on the estimated cost of £l2OO would be considered.

The county clerk said he had written to Mr Hamilton informing him that representatives of the council had interviewed Mr Semple and had impressed upon him the necessity for increasing the grant from £2OO (£2 to £1), to £9OO (£3 to £1). A grant on the latter basis would permit the council to complete the whole of the Curio Bay road in the one contract. The council had set up a crushing plant at Waikawa from which to draw supplies of crushed metal and roading. There was a length of 132 chains to be completed and the estimate was £l2OO. Upon the request of the Minister, added Mr Gimblett in his letter, he had written to him setting out the full facts of the case and the Minister had promised that when he received the letter he would give the matter further consideration. He was now awaiting advice from the Minister. ,