GOVERNMENT ROAD MAKING

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13665, 6 August 1908, Page 6

GOVERNMENT ROAD MAKING

At yesterday's meeting of the Levels County Council, the chairman after mentioning that the worst- single/item of flood damage had occurred on a new road made by the Government in Rosew;ll settlement, went on to say that the roading of'-Ro&v' will had been before the Council several times. During the last general election, at- the election meetings he protested to the Hon. W. Hall-Jones about the manner in which the roads were being made in the settlement. He was told" by some ratepayers- that he had" actually overstepped the mark in the strength of his protests. But there was some result, for a few more yards of shingle were put on. In this' road that had been damaged, the Government closed a piece of sound road, and laid out a new piece, across a deep gully. This ought to have been bridged,- but instead

>f a ..bridge; the .Government" put anemjankment across.it ;with pipes alt the bot:om. . He' told.the engineer,,that the whole :hing,would be./wa'she'ct away, by any.,big lood, but' they took-no notice.- : The Government iieyer' asked ,the Council for. any advice,.- or. for; any. information,- or., what their expfrience of floods had' been,' and. so ori. ■ They spent ; £BO - or- £9O in filling in the gully,: and'anyone who knew "the locality would have'.told'.them that the embankment ' would be washed away-. -The Government ought to make that road good again, as. itf-was' their fault that it had gone, and the Council^should apply": for, a grant for * the "purpose; hut a -bridge - and not an emb'anlnnent-was reqiiired,- and the bridge' would cost more than the Government' had" thrown away on. the bank and culvert. ' The Government had treated? the Council -unfairly in, ; dealing with these roads'. : -The ■ Council;could'insist:on• a private "individual making new • roads up to the standard the Council fixed upon; but the 'Government- made "Voads. or half made them'and-then ' vUieni county, roads wihout. asking whether the Council was- satisfied with: them, and even in spite of pfotfestsj.and complaints:tliat 'the roads were not properly completed. ~ Mr Orbell'concluded by,proposing tliab the 'Minister !6f Public AVorksbeVwritten to, s.' full explanation' of the. circumstances to be given, and a grant, asked for to; restore'the': communication and this ~was agreed; to. ;.'. ;■•/-,.' .'.■,-.". ~.■-' ■-..'■