PARK ROADS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 566, 2 December 1915, Page 10

PARK ROADS.

. SITTING OF COMMISSION. PREVIOUS AWARD ACCEPTED. Mr S. W. S. Short, Assistant Under-Secretary for Public Works, sat as a commission this morning to adjudicate on the question of the maintenance and control of the North and Middle Park roads. The parties represented were: The Christchurch City Council (Mr H. H. Lough nan), liiccarton Borough Council (Mr F. W. Johnston), Paparua County Council (Mr G. Harper), and Waimairi County Council (Mr Dougall). , The commissioner explained that the parties had been called together again because of an objection by the Paparua County Council against the terms of the previous award. Mr Harper explained that the basis of the Paparua objection was that the County Council had been debited with the City Council abattoirs traffic without the power of raiting on the abattoirs, but that had since been rectified, and as the county now had power to rate on the abattoirs owing to amending legislation passed last session, it was now satisfied with the position, and would accept the previous award. . The chairman explained that it was impossible for him to have reviewed the award as proposed by the County Council without calling the other parties together and giving them the opportunity of defending their positions. However, as the Paparua County Council was now satisfied, that was the end of the matter. Mr Johnston said that while the parties were all present he desired to refer, to the question of traffic originating from the Riccarton railway station, and passing along the Park Rqad to other districts. He had asked the tally clerks to take note of it. He did not know whether they had done so. He thought that about half of the heavy vehicular traffic

debited against Riccarton came from the station, and while the parties were all present he, thought it might be given consideration. Mr Short advised Mr Johnston not to raise the question, as he could not do so without opening the whole matter. After further discussion Mr Johnston intimated that he would not press the matter. The commissioner then said that the previous award would hold good by consent of the parties. He was very glad of that, as the tally taken recently showed very clearly that the previous allocation of the cost of upkeep was accurate and just. He congratulated the local bodies on the satisfactory adjustment of the difficulty.* Mr Dougall raised the question of costs. Counsel had been brought there unnecessarily by the Paparua County Council. Mr Harper explained that the legislation authorising the rating of the abattoirs by the Paparua County was passed late in the session, and Mr Witty, member for the district, had been immediately informed that the county no longer desired the holding of another commission. The fact that the commission had been called together was not the fault of the!Paparua Council. The commissioner said that he would reserve his decision on the question of costs, counsel humorously suggesting that he should consider whether Mr Witty, M.P., should not meet the bill.