THAMES PUBLIC WORKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 77, 31 March 1928, Page 14

THAMES PUBLIC WORKS.

TO MINISTER. (From Our Own Correspondent.) THAMES, Friday. The Minister of Public Works, Hon. K. S. V\ illiams, who arrived yesterday evening from Tauranga, received a deputation headed by the Mayor of Thames, Mr. W. Bongard, which asked for a continuance of construction work on the ThamesTairua road, via Kauaeranga. Mr. Bongard said that the road would link the two coasts of the peninsula and provide a route of 12 miles shorter than the road to Waihi. The route was essential as a cattle route for Plains farmers in search of hill areas for winter pasturing. The road, of which eight miles remained to be formed, would bring Tairua within 31 miles of Thames, and Hikuai within 23 miles of Thames, and would link up a direct route to Auckland. It would open up an immensely valuable block of country for settlement, and would strengthen the financial position of the Thames County Council.

The Minister said he would go over the proposed route to-morrow and find out for himself where the road should go. He hoped to come to some finality at the conclusion of his tour.

Mr. O. Courtney, of the Thames County Council, urged the claims of Nevesville settlers for the widening of the Puriri-Nevesville track to facilitate the carriage of fertilisers. The deputation urged preference of its claim for the widening of the bridle track over other routes likely to be advocated by other settlers.

Mr. Mcßeth stated that the Hikuai Ratepayers' Association had unanimously decided to abandon its claim for the Thames-Tairua route, via Kauaeranga, in favour of the Waihi-Whanga-mata route.

The Minister said he would visit the country during the next few days and would thus be able to judge the merits of the claim.