Bay of Plenty Times WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 1906. THE KAIMAI ROAD.

o . At the present time the most important unfinished work conducing towards the prosperity of the Bay of Plenty is the Kaimai Road, which- is now within ineasureable distance of completion for vehicular trattic. We understand that the formation, executed on the iPiaiko side has reached the Tmuranga County boundary, and has bjeen carried out for the purpose of the development of the Selwyn estate. With the work done in the Tauranga County this leaves only about i seven miles qf bridle" track to be- focmed^-into a coach road, which if completed and •the rivers bridged, would give direct coach communication with Waikato and the Bay of Plenty. The most expensive of the four bridges on the seven-milo link mentioned has been already erected over the Ngamuawahirio stream. The three remaining bridges required would be over the Maungahuruhuru (which has at the present time a level concrete ford), Kauakamotiti and To Rcre rivers, the last being, however, situated a few chains on the Piako side of the county boundary, From £1500 to £2000 wrould, ,it is estimated,^ be sufficient to both form the road and bridge the portion ''mentioned. This road crosses the Auckland-Rotorua railway at a point two miles distant from Mangawhara and five miles from Okoroire. It seoms.that the connection jikely to most advantageously benefit the TaurajigA -district would bo with Okoroire, a favourite tourist resort, at which place there is a magnificent sanatorium, with natural hot springs, baths, etc., and in a short time a most thriving township should here be found consequent on the tourist traffic and close settlement of the surrounding country. The completion of the Kaimai road to Okoroire would place Tauranga distant from the former place about four or five hours' drive, which would easily be the closest coach connection with the" railway system. The route would be the means of bringing Waikato and the. Bay of .Plenty into closer touch and no doubt a considerable number of tourists could also be induced to visit this district. Now that sheepfarming is becoming a most import' ant branch of .the Tauranga and Te Puke farming, nothing is more urgently needed than this road, to allow of the transit of sheep from the Waikato to this district. If Tauranga people are alive to their own interests they should lose no tjmo in presenting a. petition; to Parliament, praying for a sufficient grant to secure .th<j, .completion of the Kaimat road for coach traffic. There would not be the slightest difficulty in securing a large number of signatures to such a document, and -we hope the Chamber of Commerce and the Tauranga Borough Council will energetically take up this most important matter, ami thus strengthen the action of the tounty Council, ■which ha» asked for a substantial sum to bo placed on the Estimates for the work. As the Chamber of Commerce is not a very wealthy body, tho invn>tx?r£ o/ the P-orough Council might . perhaps, see their way to vote from -the Borough funds, the small cost of ft petition, as there is no denying the fact that the town would con?»idf*wfr»lckr bent-lit ii we had .better and more rapid comnimik-atimi with the large and prosperous Waikato district.