INSPECTION OF ROADS

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1935, Page 14

INSPECTION OF ROADS

SHOULD COUNCILLORS REPORT? DISCUSSION AT INGLEWOOD. Whether councillors should submit a report to the council on the state of the roads after they had been on a tour of inspection of the roads, and whether if such report were submitted it should be submitted by the members individually or in the form of a joint report? was the subject of discussion by the Inglewood County Council yesterday. The members had made a tour of inspection of the roads about a month ago and during the month the chairman, Mr. A. Corkill, had submitted the question to councillors by letter. He also introduced the subject at the meeting yesterday, when it was decided that each councillor should in future report on inspections of county roads, but that there should be no report on the last inspection. The chairman in asking that his vote be recorded against the motion said it was the duty of councillors to submit such a report in view of the expenditure incurred in making the inspection. Cr. W. W. Willans said that except for the water-tables the county roads were in good order, especially in view of the way expenditure on them had been reduced during the past few years. The chairman said the water-tables had been neglected. The ratepayers were entitled to have a report of the council’s observations on the state of the roads during their tour of inspection. If they did make reports of what use would they be? the ratepayers would not see them, said Cr. Willans, who added that he considered it would be a waste of time to make reports. “What is the use of going round the roads then?” asked the chairman. Cr. Willans said it was necessary for councillors to have a knowledge of the county and its requirements.

The chairman said reports would be valuable as a record of the condition of the roads at a given date. Cr. J. Hunter said councillors should continue to report on the condition of the roads in their own ridings. After the chairman had asked the council to make a decision Cr. Jones moved that a joint report be put in. Cr. J. Stachurski held that at the time of the last inspection councillors were not aware that they would be required to submit a report The motion was not seconded, so Cr. Jones moved that councillors individually submit reports on their last visit. Cr. Stachurski moved as an amendment that each, councillor in future report on inspections of county roads but that there be no report on the last inspection. He submitted that it was over a month since the inspection had taken place and -t would be impossible for councillors now to report accurately on the condition of the roads then. The chairman pointed out that Cr. Hunter had already submitted a report on the roads in his riding. Cr. Gibson seconded the amendment The amendment was carried by five votes to two, Cr. Jones and the chairman voting against it.