TAR-SEALED ROADS.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 June 1923, Page 5

TAR-SEALED ROADS.

EGMONT COUNTY’S DECISION. At Tuesday’s meeting of the Egmont County Council the chairman, Cr. W. C. Green, mentioned that an outside engineer had recently visited the district and had offered to give estimates with regard to the tar-sealing of the county roads. Cr Tosland said he thought the time had arrived when the council should consider the laying down of permanent roads. The Eltham County Council had permanent roads, and had recently been able to make a reduction in rates. He said that the engineer for the Waimate West County (Mr. Hansen), who was an expert in tar-sealing work, was prepared to give them every assistance, and was prepared to take the Egmont County men for periods of from six weeks to two months and train them in tar-sealing work. He thought Mr. Hanson would also advise them as to which roads could be tar-sealed without the application of more metal. There were miles of metalled roads in Egmont County which were fit to tar seal now, and he thought it would be a pity if they were allowed to deteriorate and break up. The chairman said that the time had arrived when they could not possibly keep the main roads out of ordinary revenue. If they continued maintaining metalled main roads out of rates they would have to increase their rates to about fid. Other councils had gone in for loans to tar-seal their roads and had found the arrangement beneficial. He was sure that the Egmont County Council would come out of such an arrangement well. He would like to see a committee set up with power to go into the question and go on with the loan proposal. Cr. Collins said that unless the council put on a bold front and came before the ratepayers with a definite and compfebensive scheme, in two years they would have no roads left at all. Cr. Donald also supported a tarsealing policy. He moved that a committee as suggested by the chairman bo set up. Cr. Tosland seconded and the motion was carried. A committee consisting of the chairman and Crs. Tosland, Gibson, and Collins was set up.