MAIN HIGHWAY BOARD

Waipa Post, Volume 38, Issue 2269, 16 February 1929, Page 5

MAIN HIGHWAY BOARD

ARRIVAL AT OTOROHANGA. The members of the Main Highways Board arrived at Otorohanga on Thursday afternoon, and were received by the members of the Otorohanga County Council and the Town Boai’d. Mr F. Potts introduced the subject of subsidies for various works within the county. He asked for a subsidy for the Waipa River bridge on Te Kawa-Kawhia main highway; passing places on Te Kawa swamp at a stretch of the road where it is at present difficult for two vehicles to pass each other; and a bridge over Te Kawa creek in the same vicinity. In reply, Mr Jull stated that the Board would subsidise the cost of repairs to the bridge over the Waipa River by £2 for £l, and the smaller requests would be further considered. The matter of a deviation of thirty chains at Austin’s bridge, and at Puketarata, was also brought before the Board. Mr Jull explained that all applications were considered most carefully about April in each year, and as these were numerous they had to be viewed from all angles before the final decision was reached. Mr F. O. R. Phillips (chairman of the Town Board) asked for a larger subsidy for the improvements needed to that part of the main 'highway known as Maniapoto Street, a distance of about 60 chains. Mr Jull said that the usual subsidy of £2 for £1 would be available for the work of perfecting the centre of the street (18 feet wide). Mr Phillips desired a larger subsidy, but Mr Jull explained that his Board did not function in order to make town streets the full width, but 18 feet in the centre of the highway would be subsidised. If the Town Board wanted the sides of the street completed it should raise the money itself to do the work .He could hold out no hope of a greater subsidy being granted by his Board than the £2 for £1 already mentioned.

Mr A. J. MeCready brought up the mfitter of Ourawheho Road, which wjould eventually be a portion of the main highway to the west of the Main Trunk railway. The route was almost level, and three very dangerous railway crossings would be eliminated.

This suggestion was interesting to the members of the Highways Board, and especially to Mr Wynyard, and he decided tb inspect the road in question at once. His opinion will be forwarded to the interested parties.

Mr Jull regretted that time did not permit the Board to make a more extensive inspection of the roads of the district. Perhaps that was just as well for the Otorohanga county, as then they might have found out how much greater were the needs of other people whose roads were not so good as those in Otorohanga county. After the business had been closed Mr Jull informed me that he considered small towns like Otorohanga should not overload their ratepayers with street improvements that might, say, be 15 or 20 years ahead of the times. He instanced the large ratepayers’ debts pi Te Awamutu, Te Kuiti, Taumarunui, and other growing places as examples of what he wished to convey. He thought good modern streets were very nice, but they had to be paid for at some time or another.