BACKBLOCKS ROADS

Taranaki Daily News, 14 March 1935, Page 6

BACKBLOCKS ROADS

METALLING TO BE DONE PROBLEMS IN WHANGAMOMONA. STORM DAMAGE NOT EXTENSIVE. Problems of reading in the backblocks occupied the Whangamomona County Council almost exclusively at its meeting on Tuesday. Cr. N. R. Cleland presided, others present being Grs. J. D. Law, G. Gower, M. P. Ford, W. J. Rawlinson, B. Newstrowski, and S. B. Roberton. Mr. W. J. Polson, M.P., forwarded the reply of the Hon. J. M. Bitchener, Minister of Public Works, to his letter discussing the council’s proposals for widening the saddle portions of the Kohuratahi, Putikituna and Whitianga roads. The Minister regretted his inability to accede to the council's request, though he hoped to visit the district as soon as it could be arranged. He would then willingly discuss with Mr. Polson and the council any matters affecting the welfare of the ratepayers on these roads, he said. The letter was received. The Unemployment Board advised through a circular to county councils that a subsidy of 35s per man-week would be paid in respect' to registered and eligible married men engaged full time on repairing flood damage to roads. Representations had been made to the board by the Public Works Department in connection with assistance to local bodies in the Taranaki district undertaking the repair on roads damaged by the recent heavy rains and floods. The offer would remain open until the end of September, said the circular. Most of the repair work referred to was already done, said the chairman, the settlers who were locked in having had to be relieved immediately. The unemployed men in the county were too scattered for economical working on those lines, as transport costs would be too high. Unless a straight-out grant were given the council could really make no use of the Government assistance offered, and he felt sure that there was little chance of a grant. “As we have done so much we might as well finish it,” said Cr. Law. The council adopted his suggestion. SINGLE MEN’S CAMP. Reporting on an interview with the district Public Works engineer, Mr. P. Keller, the chairman said he and Cr. Roberton had asked that the single men’s camp should be kept in the county. They had offered to hand over the timber royalties and the £lOO that the millers were prepared to find for the metalling of about 3| miles of the Moki Road. They had pointed out that the council’s total contribution would probably be about £5OO. Mr. Keller had required the council’s promise that the road would be maintained but had seemed satisfied with its offer. Mr. Keller also seemed favourable to the linking of the district by dray road with the Okau valley, so that the two works would keep the camp in the county for some time. He had also pointed out, said the chairman, that the millers using the road had agreed to pay a levy of threepence per 100 feet of timber carried from the mill over the road, and this could be used for maintenance later on.

He was very pleased to hear that steps had been taken to keep the camp in the district, said Cr. Law. It was a splendid gang of men and the work done was a tribute both to the men and to the supervisors. In reply to Mr. Keller’s request for a statement in writing, the council decided to inform him that it had in hand £l5O cash, which it hoped to build up to £2OO within a few months. r Together with the millers’ £lOO this would make £3OO, .which the council was prepared to pay down as the work was commenced. The balance of the council’s contribution, up to £2OO, would be paid as it accumulated from royalties. The council hoped that the work would soon be got under way. Cr. Gower moved that the chairman’s honorarium of £35 be reinstated for the past year. He referred to the great difficulties with which Cr. Cleland had to contend in carrying out his duties. The motion was seconded by Cr. Roberton and carried unanimously. A number of small matters requiring attention throughout the county, several the result of floods, were reported upon by members, and were referred to the chairman and the riding members concerned to deal with.