TAR SEALING OF NORTH ROAD

Taranaki Daily News, 5 October 1929, Page 2

TAR SEALING OF NORTH ROAD

NO HELP FROM HIGHWAYS BOARD. INDIGNATION IN CLIFTON COUNTY Considerable indignation at the action of the Highways Board and dismay at the position in which the council was placed was expressed at the meeting of the Clifton County Council yesterday upon the receipt of a reply from Mr. P. Keller, the District Highways Council representative on the Highways Board, to an application from the council regarding the tar-sealing of three miles of the clitton county section of the Auckland-Wellington highway. Mr. Keller wrote: “The Clifton County Council can take it as certain that there will be no increase in the amount available to the board for construction purposes, and the board re<rrets, therefore, that it is not able to make any alteration in the amount which has been tentatively approved for work in the Clifton County.”. A circular memorandum enclosed sated:’ There .’appears to be a general impression amongst local bodies, based on statements appearing in the public Press, that the Main Highways Board will have funds available to the extent of over £200,000 more than was anticipated when the annual allocations for the current estimates were made known. “I don’t think we should sit down and take that,” said Cr. C. 11. Barnitt. A great deal of money would be lost if the council was unable to complete the work and if tar-sealing could not be done it would mean putting 'down fresh metal, he added. If they did not get money advanced to seal the road it would take them from £3OO to £4OO a mile to maintain the road for another 12 months, said the chairman, Cr. H. A. Foreman. Only authority for the actual foundation work had been obtained, explained the. engineer ( Mr. N. C. Fookes).,. though approval had been given for the remainder of the work. The county clerk: The official mind is particularly susceptible to continued letters. We should keep pegging away. Cr. H. A. Bower: I think we’d better make it a serial. Cr. Barnitt: We struck an extra rate over the whole of the county and led the ratepayers to believe we were going to seal the road, and now we are let down by the Government. The board must be informed we are breaking faith with the ratepayers. Reference was made to the road in the afternoon by Mr. J. S. Connett, chairman of the Taranaki County Council, who was present on a deputation concerning the Waitara level crossing. “The position as defined by the Highways Board,” he said, “was brought about by its own uncertainty over its own position, but the air now seems to be clearing considerably. The position now stands almost as it was and the council would be well advised to be more hopeful, as I cannot see why it should not ultimately get the work done.” The chairman said the letters received offered little hope, but the council was still going to persevere. The road had six inches of metal on it and the council was in an awkward position to have to hope the road would carry traffic for 12 months, said Cr. Barnett. ’Mr. Connett suggested an application to the District Highways Council for support as the road was of the greatest importance and now that the preliminary work had been done it was essential it should be completed. The council decided to interview Mr. Keller and possibly put the matter before members of Parliament.