DAMAGE TO ROADS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 200, 24 August 1945, Page 3

DAMAGE TO ROADS

HAULAGE OF TIMBER

COUNTY FACES BIG COST

HAMILTON, this clay

It was stated at a meeting of the Matamata County Council yesterday that £100,000 would be needed to put the roads in reasonable order to carry the huge quantities of log timber to the mills which it was proposed to establish in the Tokoroa district. Timber companies had carted as much timber as possible in response to war needs and the roads had become almost impassable for cream lorries, school buses and settlers' normal needs.

The opinion was expressed that no relief would be obtained until the Minister of Works, Mr. Semple, came to investigate the trouble and hear representations by conflicting interests.

The engineer, Mr. M. E. Fitzgerald said the Dominion output of sawn timber last vear was 350,000,000 board feet and the exotic timber growing south of Tokoroa could produce 400,000,000 feet annually for many years.

A conference between representatives of the County Council, timber interests, the Works Minister, the Commissioner of State Forests and the member for the district was favoured as a means of reaching an agreement for the development of the forestry projects and expediting road improvements.