REQUEST TO COUNTY COUNCIL,FOR IMPROVEMENT OF GATE PA-OROPI ROAD

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7468, 7 August 1920, Page 3

REQUEST TO COUNTY COUNCIL,FOR IMPROVEMENT OF GATE PA-OROPI ROAD

Ofe of assistance by deputation

A.I the meeting of the County Council hold early in July a petition was received fromDfßucknill and thirty-six other settlers of the districts 'served by the Oropi niain road, asking the Council to ineta! the hills along the road from the 33 to the 27 mile pegs, and more particularly the hill known as Grassick's.They strongly urt;ed upon the Council the necessity of putting this work in hand at the very earliest moment. The petition further stated:— "During the winter months and after rains we have the greatest difficulty in negotiating these hills with horse drawn and mutor vehicles, owing to the very greasy and-slippery nature of the road surface, and we are continually suffering difficulties, delays and' expense' due to these hills not being metalled. The hill known as Grassick's is particularly difficult and dangerous during wet weather. We consider that the time has now come when some-, thing should be clone to improve the condition of this road, and we urge that this petition be given your early and serious considera- , tion."

At the meeting of the-County Council yesterday Dr Bucknill and Messrs Gray, Aldis, Coster, Deakin, Chx, Evershed and Phillips attended as a deputation in support of the petition. The deputation was introduced by Cr . Darragh. 1 Dr Bucknill referred to the need , for improving the road, especially Grassick's hill. The other hills also required attention, but Grassick's was the worst. As regards i the petition, previously handed to the Council, there were others who would be willing to sign it. Mr Gray asked that the old tramlines across the road be taken up as they were a menace to traffic. Cr Darragn said that another settler had complained that the on the old tramline were "^ damaging the tyres of motor cars. Mr Aldis spoke in support of the petition- He thought the / Government might be asked to .. assist, as the road was a mail route. He stressed the bad condition -of Grassick's and other' hills between Gate Pa and Oropi. Mr Deakin spoke for the people on the northern side of Grassick's hill. He" drew attention to the bad state of portions of the road at the Gate Pa school, a hill near Mr Scantlebury's and in the vicinity of his own property. The Chairman said a few years " ago he endeavoured to induce the settlers to agree to'form a special rating area and to borrow £1500 to improve the road from Gate Pa to Oropi, but the settlers at that time turned clown the proposal. There was a good road from the finger post to ,town, for uhich the cost was met - by the Greerton special rating -area. The other settlers could now form a special rating area, and borrow £1 000, which would " probably secure a Government subsidy of .£ t,OOO. Ihe Council proposed to raise a comprehensive loan, but could not do anything in this respect until they knew what the Government JUended to- do as regards the -levying of a tax on motor tyres. "He advise'u the settlers to con--sider the matter and if they decided lo form a special rating district he would be pleased to V do all he could to help them in fhe matter.

Mr Gray made a suggestion that the metal at Grassicks might be stripped and fired. If so the settlers were willing to assist with horses and work in putting the metal en the hill- •*

The Chairman said he was favourable to action as suggested.

Cr Darragh s^iid it was a bad 'hill. He approved of helping those .whq helped themselves. "After five minutes' rain a horse could not stand on the cutting. It was a tine-weather cutting. ; MrAklis asked that the new bridge at Grassick's should be -re-built.

Mr Gray (supervisor) said the plans had been approved by the Public Works Department, and he thought the work could be carried out during the summer. The Chairman, in reply to Mr Aldis, said before the Council fWent in for its borrowing scheme it would be necessary to ascertain the Government's intention in regard to the tyre tax that was Proposed.

, The deputation thanked the 'Council and withdrew.