GREAT SOUTH ROAD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 143, 19 June 1930, Page 10

GREAT SOUTH ROAD.

FRANKLIN COUNTY PORTION. MODIFIED SCHEME SUGGESTED CONCRETE OR BITUMEN. I Remarking that it was unable to contribute a greater subsidy than £3 for £1 towards the construction of the Franklin County portion of the Great South Road, the Main Highways Board t has suggested to the Franklin County Councif that the scheme should be ■ modified and bitumen used instead of i concrete. [ The cost of a concrete road was estimated at £177,839. The board said a bituminous penetration pavement was estimated over the whole length to cost i about £100,000. On the basis of £3 for i £1 the board's contribution would be . £75,000 and the council's £25,000. I As an alternative, the board suggested that it might be prepared to consider ■ the construction of a concrete pavement , as far as the turn-off to Pukekohe. This would involve the construction of a concrete pavement over a length of 2.7 " miles on which traffic tallies showed ' there was an average of 600 vehicles ■ daily, while south of the turn-off the ' average was 330 vehicles per day. To ' construct a concrete pavement as far as Pukekohe turn-off and bituminous pavement over the remainder would in--1 volve an expenditure os'er the whole road of about £120,000. The matter was discussed in committee, and it was decided to reply that the council believed it had the support of its ratepayers when it offered to provide £20,000, the maximum, and that only a concrete road would be accepted. Another Route Urged. The Franklin combined chambers of commerce urged tlie council to take steps to have the main south road taken through Pukekohe and Tuakau. It was emphasised that a large and growing public opinion throughout, the county considered that if the county was called on to any considerable extent . to contribute towards the permanent surl facing of the south road between Papakura and Mercer " then the road should ( be constructed along the route where it would be of the greatest service to the county residents. The" chairman, Mr. J. N. Massey, said i the council was proceeding to have the connecting road between Pokeno and , Whangarata put in hand almost immediately and this would give a good south- . ern outlet for residents in the western portion of the county. There was also [ the possibility that it would be deI clarecl a subsidiary highway. On Outskirts of County. ; The trend of the discussion was that' ; as the ratepayers had no say as to where the south road should go they 1 should not, as a whole, be asked to conE tribute. On the other hand, the road should have been defined along a route : which would have benefited the greatest ' number and not defined on the eastern 1 outskirts of the county. 1 Mr. H. J. Flay stated the ratepayers ' between Bombay and Papakura would ; strenuously oppose a change in the route ! of the road. ; It was decided to reply giving the s whole of the facts, stating hi addition ' that the road between Pokeno and Whangarata was under way.