CONCRETE OR BITUMEN?

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 12, 5 April 1927, Page 7

CONCRETE OR BITUMEN?

A MOUNT EDEN ROAD BITUMEN DECIDED ON “I am not married to concrete,” was Councillor W. G. Lange’s way of denying any suggestion of one-eyedness in the matter of road construction, when the question came up at last night’s meeting of the Mount Eden Borough Council. What the meeting was interested in was whether Burnley Terrace should be laid down in bitumen or concrete. The loan allocation was £2,889, and the estimates for concrete and bitumen were £3,125 and £2,550 respectively. The engineer said he considered that bitumen would be totally inadequate for the heavy traffic on this road, and accordingly he recommended concrete. Support for his recommendation was forthcoming from Councillor Morison, who thought they should spend the extra £SOO required for a concrete road, but other councillors were not with the scheme. Councillor Morris' said they would not be justified in snending that £SOO of the ratepayers money. Councillor Lange: I maintain A Voice: Another concrete fiend. “No,” said the councillor, “I am not married to concrete, but I think the engineer’s suggestion is only sound common sense.” The whole council then joined in the debate, and there was a brisk exchange of opinions across the table, the M nv or, Mr. E. H. Potter, saying that he w&s sure the people expected the road to be concreted. Finally a motion that the road be concreted was lost by seven votes to five, and the alternative proposal of bitumenising the road was referred to the Works Committee.