THOMPSON S TRACK

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume 49, Issue 7625, 19 February 1921, Page 3

THOMPSON S TRACK

A PRACTICABLE ROUTE

(Special to Te Aruba News). The fact that a stock route between the Te Aroha and lauranga districts has been in existence foi a number of years, and the .absence of a thoroughfare that would enable vehicular-■ and especially motoi tialfic to pass ever that route led to a suggestion in these columns some time ago that the local bodus in the two districts should take the matter-up for their mutual advantage and, if the route were considered practicable, make representations to the Government to have the route better known as Jltomp.•ons Track -improved for that purpose, led to a representative making some observations dming a journey per boot from le Aroha to rauranga. We quote from the notes, made immediately after the arduous journey: - My walk took me about IQ hours, for I left# Te Aroha at H a.m., the foot of the track at Shaftsbury at 12.45 p.m., Iho Maori battlement at 1.45 p.m., and reached the summit of the range at 2.40 p.m. Here 1 rested for lunch and for the purpose of looking round on the vast expanse of ions country on both sides of _ He range. I reached the bottom oi the track on the Tauranga side, near Katikati, at 5.15 p.m., and stopped at a near-by farmhouse for tea-, resuming the journey at 6.10. reached Ornokoroa about 9.30 a.in., ami arrived in the outskirts _of Tauranga at 10.10 p.m., completing the forty miles as stated. In my opinion the Thompson » Track is like a well-built shop in a good position in a thriving settlement, that when completed had been left to go to rack and rum, the good money and brains utilised in its erection being, wasted absolutely. From Te Aroha over the track to Tauranga would be 43 to 44 miles, and round through Pacroa and Waihi to Tauranga is 70 miles. Actually the distance to Tauranga from Te Aroha and Waihi is about equal--that is, from Waihi via Katikati, and from Te Aroha viaThompson’s Track, think what a direct motor service between iauranga and Tc Avoba would mean. nink of the great number of people such a thoroughfare would eh-, able and encourage to do their shopping in Te Aroha! The grade of the route is good there is no doubtabout that. There are only one or two steep pinches on the Te Aroha side, and these, are no worse than, many of the hill” grades on some main roads. The track itself K badly overgrown with tern and scrub in some parts, but the clearing job would be easily handled and would,not cost much. There were four slips on the roadway. Those requiring removal are small ones. The others are in acute angles of the road, which would probably require a small bridge to bring it into serviceable order, by providing a reasonable curve tor vehicular traffic. There are also some bad projections, making turnings dangerous; but these could easily bo cutaway. Unite a large part oi the track on the Te Aroha side is stony and rough, for, the whole length of track' having practically no watertables the water takes chargeof the road in wet weather, and. thus has washed the stones bare. There are parts where the i'oad would require regrading, owing to this lack of attention, The track is narrow in parts, but as it runs through easy country it could easily be widened at small expense. Taking the track right through, a few hundred pounds spent upon it would make a very fine asset to the locality, and to the two centres that‘would be , directly served Much of the land on top of the hills would be more rapidly accessible, and it hears every appearance of being good country. A road would, bring Te Aroha and Tauranga 25 to 30-miles nearer to each other. The Tauranga side of the track is in better condition than that on Ic Aroha side, but my remarks apply to both sides. The bridges required arc practically just stringer bridges, and they would all be small and inexpensive. Of course, seveial pipe culverts would also be required in places, and such necessary attention as all hilly roads requite. 1 am convinced that the route is a practicable one tor motor liaffic, and»the two-districts most concerned should battle lor it. Waihi can hardlv be expected to support the project, for by so doing it would be ‘‘cutting its own throat,” but there is tro reasonable objection. 1 hope to sec Te Aroha and lauranga working hand in hand to secure the roadway.