CARLIN’S ROAD

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 79, Issue 7145, 14 December 1949, Page 7

CARLIN’S ROAD

POSITION TO BE INVESTIGATED DECISION OF OTOROHANGA COUNTY COUNCIL In a letter to the Otorohanga County Council last Monday, Mr W. C. Carlin, stated that he had been in communication with the Minister of Works of the date Government in reference to the metalling of Carlin’s Road. After a considerable time hfe had received a reply from the Minister stating the estimates for the year were full up. He was told to communicate with the local body to have his application put on the estimates for the next year. The road was stated to be used for carrying manure, lime posts, battens and logs. A royalty was paid of 6d per hundred superficial feet on all timber taken from the area served by the road, which it was stated would amount to a considerable sum as Mr Carlin estimated that it would take two years to clean out the available timber from his bush. It was suggested that the road could be metalled for a low price with material from the Moakoroa stream. The approximate distance of the road to te metalled was estimated to be 2i miles. Mr Carlin stated that he was prepared to aid financially with an amount to be agreed by ths Council. Another resident who used the road, Mr Stephenson was also stated to have offered to aid financially if the road was metalled further up.

The road was not a dead-end but was said to be formed through to the Kawhia main highway, which it joined at the foot of the Te Rau-a-moa Hill in the Okoko Valley. Notice was also received from the District Engineer of the Ministry of Works stating that Mr Carlin had approached the Minister. The engineer said he had noted from the Council’s letter that the Council’s share of £3OO had been provided for, if a £3 for £1 subsidy was granted. Thie engineer said that it had been pointed out in a previous letter that the subsidy was unusual. The Council was in a position to collect timber royalties from the area served by the road in addition to amounts which three settlers would find initially. The engineer asked if the Council wotjld be responsible for a larger share than one-quarter of the amount needed. Cr Grierson said that the road would not serve Mr Stephenson as well as a bridge would, although he thought that Mr Carlin had a case for the metalling of the road. Mr Wallis said that Stephenson had informed him that the road would have little value to him but to help the district along he would be prepared to help financially with a contribution towards the cost. He was most sfrixious to see the job go ahead, said Mir Wallis, and a grant should be used to its fullest advantage. It was problematical which job could be done for the best, a bridge which would serve Stephenson or the metalling of the road to serve Carlin and the other settlers cn the road. The Council would not get more than one grant for the area and he considered that whichever scheme should be most urgent should be tended to first. Mr Wynyard said that Carlin’s Road would serve the three settlers. It was decided to defer the matter until the 20th of this month when the Council would meet again. In the meantime it was decided to make arrangements for a party of the Councillors to investigate the position by making a trip to the area.