BRAEMAR ROAD

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21186, 5 November 1938, Page 3

BRAEMAR ROAD

New Work Favoured Mackenzie Council To Submit Plans FAIRLIE, November 4. The Mackenzie County Council at to-day’s meeting favoured a start with the formation of a new Braemar Road in preference to the widening of the old route, and if the Public Works Department, which provides a five to one subsidy, approves, four miles will be constructed this year. Reporting on up-country work generally, the engineer (Mr D. Jeune) explained that the new road would rise to the same height as the old one, and in one or two instances grades of practically the same limit as the old road would have to be instituted, but against this they would be on sunny facings, and would not have the ice conditions of the old road. The main problem which presented itself in the reconstruction work was how much should be expended on the various roads. On the section of roads under discussion, no amount of improvement or reconstruction to the old road would eliminate the dark facings and the several sections of the road which had been described as snow traps. It seemed that the only thing to do to the road over that length was to transfer it bodily to a new location with a northerly aspect, and where lengths of comparatively level stretches were encountered, to build the road up some 18 inches above the • surrounding country, so that it would be swept clear of snow in drifting periods. Standard of Roads From a purely engineering point of view, said Mr Jeune, he would not in any way recommend the expenditure of money on the present location of the road, and again from a purely engineering point of view* he would certainly recommend the new road to be made to the best standard. The question would then be one of finance, and that question would touch all the roads being considered. The five to one grant on the Braemar Road was for £2OOO. The section of road under review would take all of that. In the first instance the Public Works Department would have to agree to the standard of road, and to the expenditure, and the question then would be one of how the reconstruction of the rest of the road was to be financed. If the Government approved of the standard of the new road as being set out, then, they could be asked for further money for the remainder of the road. That could be justified by putting forward a claim, that should the tourist traffic to the Dominion increase as the Tourist Department hoped it would in the future, then the Braemar Road would in all probability become the direct route to the Hermitage, cutting off 28 miles of the present road. The alternative was for a loan for the reconstruction of work over the area of land to be served by the road. Mr W. Scott considered that the wisest course was to do the new part of the road and make a job of it. The Government and past Governments had stated that they would do their best for back country men, said Mr Geo. Murray. In his opinion the undertaking of a new road would be the better proposition. A similar view was expressed by Mr J. Allan. Mr P. Kidd considered that a comprehensive plan of all back-country

roads should be drawn up. In his opinion the new road would take a long time to consolidate and the old road should be kept open. if the grants were withdrawn in the future the Council might find itself loaded with a good deal of plant. Mr Kidd contended that it was ridiculous to make the roads conform to the best modern standards, when they would be serving the needs of only a few ratepayers, while the Council would also have to carefully consider the matter of maintenance in comparison with the rates received. There was no guarantee that the Council would have the five to one subsidy next year. Minister’s Assurance Mr Scott pointed out that the Minister of Public Woiks (Hon. R. Semple) had given the Council the grant on a three-year plan and that promise was good enough for him. Mr Lindsay said that maintenance on the new road would cost nothing like the amounts spent on the old road. The issue before the Council, said the chairman (Mr W. R. Davison) was whether the old bullock track was to be widened for 14 miles or whether the £2OOO this year was to be spent on four miles of new road. The opinion was expressed by Mr C. J. Talbot that the best plan, and the one which would appeal to the Public Works Department, was to launch out on the new road. The Council would have to submit the proposals to the Public Works Department and the Department would choose. On the motion of the chairman it was decided that the plans of the new road be forwarded to the Public Works Department.