ROADS AND LOAN

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 71, Issue 6138, 19 September 1945, Page 5

ROADS AND LOAN

COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY WHAT IS FUTURE POLICY OF MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD ? A comprehensive survey of the roads and bridges loan, 193 G, and road re-construction work was given by the engineer to the Waipa County Council on Monday. It read as follows: The following notes have been prepared for the information of those councillors who are not acquainted with the previous history of the loan and also to refresh our memories after a lapse of several years so far as road re-construction is concerned. The highways included in the loan are as follows: Te Awamutu-Pirongia 7 miles 65 51 chains; Kihikihi-Arapuni, 20 miles 31 chains; Te AwamutuBarton’s, 5 miles 54 chains; Te Awa-mutu-Cambridge, 12 miles 77 chains; Frankton-Pirongia, 16 miles 62 chains; Horotiu-Whatawhata, 8 miles 59 chains; total, 72 miles 28 chains. The tentative original programme of work was as follows:. First year: Te Awamutu-Cambridge, 43 miles; Frankton-Pirongia, 3 miles; KihikihiArapuni, 3 miles. Second year: Frankton-Pirongia, 3£ miles; Kihi-kihi-Arapuni, 31 miles; Te AwamutuPirongia, 8 miles. Third year: Te Awamutu-Cambridge, 81. miles; Kihikihi - Arapuni, 101 miles. Fourth year: Frankton-Pirongia, 91 miles; Kihikihi-Arapuni, 33 miles. Fifth year: Te Awamutu-Barton’s 55 miles; Horotiu-Whatawhata, 83 miles. The original estimate was as follows: Re-construction and seal, £260,415; bridges, £12,789; total, £273,204.. County share; Reconstruction and seal, £65,104; bridges, £4263; total, £69,367. Main Highways Board share £203,837. The loan was for £69,600, and the terms of the loan provided for £15,000 for sealing on a ten years’ term and £54,600 for re-construction and bridges on a 26 years’ term. The loan was Carried on 4th March, 1937, and work was begun late in that year. In July, 1939, some 18 miles of roads were under construction, and the financial position was reviewed at that time by the Council.

The works in hand at that time were as follows: Kihikihi-Arapuni, 6 miles; Te Awamutu-Cambridge, 5 miles; Frankton-Pirongia, 7 miles; total, 18 miles.

The position was placed before the Loans Board and the Main Highways Board. The original estimate was prepared in 1935, but when the work was begun three years later the standard of highway construction had been stepped up very considerably in several directions, and costs had also risen. The original estimate was on the basis of £3610 per mile; but in July, 1939, the indications were that the first 18 miles would average £6lBO per mile. In view cf the suggested economies made at that time the estimated cost for the balance of 54 miles was £5BOO per mile. The Council some years previously raised a loan for the re-construction of what is now the State highway. The unexpended balance of £10,635 was, with the concurrence of the Loans Board, diverted to the £69,600 loan; but it was not clear as to whether this money was to be regarded as additional to or part of the .sum of £69,600. The Loans Board subsequently approved this £10,635 being regarded as additional money. The amount allocated to bridges in the original loan was £4496, so that the amount available for road reconstruction was £65,104. The loan money available for roads would therefore be as follows; From State highway loan, £10,635; 1937 loaq, £65,104; 10 per cent, £6510; total, £82,249. The 1939 amended estimates were as follows, based on the offer made by the Board to provide free money for the formation: 18 miles: Total cost, £11,400; county share, £27,850; Main Highways Board share, £83,550. 54 miles, metal and seal, at £4300 per mile; Total cost, £232,200; county share, £58,050; Main Highways Board share, £174,150. 54 miles formation at £l5OO per mile: Total cost, £81,900; county share, nil; the Main Highways Board share, £81,000.» Totals: Total cost, £424,600; county share, £85,900; Main Highways Board share, £338,700. Council’s loan money: County share, £82,249. Council’s deficiency, £3651. This offer in regard to free formation by the Board meant a saving to the Council of over £20,000, and made the over-all subsidy equivalent to about £4 for £l. The Loans Board at this time decided that all future loan money raised under the £69,600 loan should be for a term, of 15 years. This would have imposed a distinct hardship on ratepayers due to increased sinking fund rates, and the Loans Board finally agreed to all future borrowing under the loan to be on a 20 years’ term. *

In May, 1940, the Council reviewed the question of the order in which the various works should be carried out. This is the last time that the matter has been before the Council, and the 1940 decision is as follows: (1) Te Awamutu-Cambridge Monavale section: Since been done. (2) Te Awamutu-Cambridge: Drain and widen swamp section. (3) Te Awa-mutu-Pirongia: Plans approved eight miles. (4) Horotiu-Whatawhata-Ho-rotiu-Te Kowhai section. (5) Te Te Awamutu-Barton’s; 41-mile section. (6) Kihikihi-Arapuni-Parawe-ra-Pukeatua section. This was not a complete schedule, but covered a considerable volume of work. The schedule as set out above did give a better distribution of the benefits of improved roads to the various parts of the county than did the original schedule.

A summary of the loan expenditure to 31st March, 1945, is as follows; Kihikihi-Arapuni; Six miles: Total cost, £36,590; co-st per mile, £6096. Total net loan cost, £9148. Frankton-Pirongia: Seven miles: Total cost, £46,064; cost per mile, £6580. Total net loan cost. £11,516. Te Awamutu-Cambridge: (a) Four miles 60 chains; Total cost £29,122; cost per mile, £6136. Total net loan cost, £7281. Te Awamutu - Cambridge: (b) Three miles 15 chains: Total cost, £11,046; cost per mile, £3452. Total net loan cost, £2053. Te Awamutu - Cambridge; (c) Gib-

bon s’ culvert; Total cost, £250. Total net lean cost,' £63. Chamberlain’s Bridge: Total cost, £3014. Total net loan cost, £754. Livingstone’s Bridge; Total cost, £3014. Total net loan cost, £754. Metal Stocks: Total net loan cost, £896. Total expenditure on works, £127,282; total net loan cost, £32,010. Cost of raising loan, £714. Total loan costs, £32,724. Balance in hand, £14,416. Amount raised to date, £47,140. Expenditure over the various years has been as follows; 1937-38, £1604; 1938-39, £15,834; 1939-40, £9348; 1940-41, £4176, 1941-42, £1619; 194243, £4B; 1943-44, £32; 1944-45, £63; total, £32,724. In reply to Cr Onion the chairman said the funds of the Main Highways Board were in a parlous state. The Board, did not have sufficient funds even to maintain the roads . Cr Onion asked what of the future. It was obvious now that the war was over that ratepayers would insist on modern roads being provided. The County Council should ascertain what the position was in regard to reconstruction. The Council should ascertain from the Main Highways Board what its future policy was in reference to re-construction and sealing of roads. If materials could be obtained the work should be done. It was obvious that the Council could not carry out the present programme on the estimates given. Cr Garland expressed appreciation of the engineer’s action in setting forth the position so clearly and so compr eh en si vely. The chairman agreed that the Council would have =to take some action to find out the position. Cr Onion said that if the whole of the motor taxation was available for roads the Council would be in a better position, and it should strive to get the whole of that taxation for roads.

The engineer suggested that the Council should write to the Main Highways Board on the matter. Cr Russell thanked the engineer for the way in which he had set out the position. It was decided, on the motion of Cr Onion, to endeavour to ascertain from the Main Highways Board its future policy and the prospect of obtaining funds to carry out the scheme.