HIGHWAY SUBSIDIES

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 242, 11 September 1929, Page 5

HIGHWAY SUBSIDIES

STOPPAGE OF PAYMENT. MANAWATU COUNTY AFFECTED. That the curtailment of the Highways Board subsidies is likely to have a serious effect on the unemployed situation in Palmerston North and the district was made plain at yesterday’s meeting of the Manawatu County Council when the chairman (Cr. Barber) stated tliat, owing to tho fact that the council’s comprehensive reading scheme would havo to bo stopped before completion, a lot of men would bo thrown out of work. The council, continued Cr. Barber, as part of its scheme, had commenced reconstruction work on tho loxtonHimatangi highway, and also on tho Hima.tangi-Rangiotu section of the main highway, while proposals had also been made to the Highways Board for tho commencement of formation work on the section of the Auckland-Wellington highway between Himatangi corner and Sanson. Tho council had gathered from the board that its sanction would be given for carrying out this work. In the .expectation that these proposals would be fully adopted by the board, the council had, in good faith, gone ahead with its part of the programme and installed tho necessary machinery, laid down a system of rails at the Terraco End metal pit for the cartage of metal, and employed a large number of men for tho work. It had been proposed to continue drawing metal from Terrace End on the completion of the Rangiotu Road and to dump it on the roadside between Himatangi and Sanson in readiness for the formation work on the highway to be built along this route. However, the Main Highways Board now had intimated that there was no more money at tho disposal of tho Manawatu County to carry out this and other work and, as there was sufficient metal along the Rangiotu-Himatangi Road to complete the job, the pit at Terraco End had been closed and. tho men engaged had had to be dismissed.

The trouble, however, would not end there, for, with tho completion of about 33 chains of Rangiotu road, the job would be finished and approximately a further 70 men would be thrown out of work.

“I am unable to understand the position,” the chairman continued. “When we started out and organised our programme of getting metal from the pit we thouglrt we would be allowed to follow up with our other scheme, but tho powers that be apparently think otherwise, and the work has been stopped. In another three weeks more men will be put out of their jobs.” Cr. Pearce: According to the Minister of Public Works, there’s going to be as much if not more money available this year for road work as last year. Cr. Boyce: But it’s not coming our way. ' , . Ci. Barber: That seems correct ana my efforts to keep tho ball rolling have so far not met with success. I put the matter before tho department about three months ago and it looked as if we would be able to bring our work to a finish but .a halt has now been called.

In a further discussion it was pointed out that work on the Rangiotu Road would have been stopped sooner had not tho council been in a position to insist that the work should go on to save the wasting of the money that had been previously spent on the road. Another section of road —that from Mt. Stewart to Awahuri —was also mentioned as being “in the air” at present, and the council was seriously perturbed over thus. The section of road, some two miles and 70 chains, was ready for paving, but if the action of the board was continued the plant would be removed by the contractors and the early work would perhaps suffer damage. The chairman said it seemed absurd that the council should not be allowed to complete this work while the men and plant were on the spot. If the work were not completed tho cost of maintaining the base course would be enormous.

The council discussed the matter further in committee and it was decided to place it as it affects the council before the Highways Board.