ROAD DAMAGE

Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22457, 19 September 1944, Page 2

ROAD DAMAGE

■ VEGETABLE AREAS DEPARTMENTAL ATTITUDE The announced intention of the Government to give up vegetable farming on some of the lands used for the State vegetable project was referred to at a Waipa C.ounty Council meeting yesterday. The engineer, Mr W. G. Macky, said that with the Works Department resident engineer and the superintendent of the vegetable farms he had inspected the roads and found considerable damage. For the purposes of estimating the road damage, said Mr Mack:/, it was assumed that the department would be finished with the whole area by September 1, 1946. The estimated maintenance cost for the two years to that date was: Koromatua Road £308; Jury’s Road, £144; Fletcher’s Road, £150; total £602. The council’s pre-war expenditure on those roads was £lO2 a year. Thus the estimated normal expenditure for this period would be £lB4, leaving £4lB to be provided by the Government. Tractors Damage Roads

The engineer reported that the department’s attention had again been drawn to the use of crawler tractors on the road. Despite promises, the machines had again been on the road, cutting out the sand surfaces. He had also notified the department that proper crossings would have to be laid in conformity with the by-laws. He felt that the council was entitled to more consideration. It seemed to him that the man in charge of the work ignored representations for improvement.

To questions, the engineer said the Minister had refused to increase subsidies for road damage repair, but had referred the complaint to the Works Department.

During rhe discussion it was stated that the State vegetable gardens at Hall’s Road were to be discontinued, and the area re-grassed. About 260 acres at Koromatua would be continued as gardens and the 230 acres of the property known as Jury’s regrassed. ’