ONLY A TRACK

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 90, 21 August 1923, Page 5

ONLY A TRACK

PROPER ACCESS URGED. attsti'de' BY WHANCAMOMONA COUNCIL. The Wbanrramomona County Council has for some time made representations to-the Pubic Works Department protesting against the nctiou of the Department in hanging over a track, known as "SpqjbnerV.*, to the Council for maintenance. In a letter the Minister (Hon. J. G. Coates) it was stated that the leoia! position in regard to the control of road l ; is that all roads are county roads, unless spe n ially declared to bo Government roads and tint .the control an ( ] responsibility is S vested if. the Council, even before | any formation whatever is carried out. The Minister added: "This particular track was placed in order by the District Engineer and the bush felled along the low side, so as to let in the sunslr'no, before it was handed over to your Counril. I canInot rpo that anv gre:t hardship thus devolves on 'he Council. Had the road been widened to vehicular width, it ce-tainly would have beon handed over formally to the Count> to main--tain. It is much expensive to the Council to maintain the road as a br'cHe track than it woo'd he to • maintain it as a drav road, The Council collects the rates from ths settlers served by the road, and uuder th° circumstances T seo no reason whv the Onv r " , nmont should "eontinue to mainta ; n the road at the pvprm ß a of the general, taxpayer of the Dominion " Cr. Meredith remarked that the f«iiT>ni] should not take over a red (?) it was "a, dray width." Despite le&al advice', he mnint-ined that the should * not aeree to take over anv track unless it complied with that condition. Cr. said. jhe was acouainted with the circumstances in connection with Spnoner's track. The returned soldier, who owned land adjoining was doing his best. waß in an isola+ed position, and had no prnpe r acoess to his property. He was working nard. and depended on, his milk cheques for h? s living, and vet he was only given a "track" to his farm. Every farmer was 'entitled to a proper acces*. and' he contended that * the Council, : >y protest against taking over a ''track." After discussion, °n the motion of Cr. Cieland, seconded by Cr. Callaghan, it was resolved to" strongly protest to the Department against handing over a track, and intimating that the Council could not accept any liahilitv for maintenance, unless > : a road was provided of a rray width. The clerk wa s directed to write to the Department