THE NGAIO ROAD

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 35, 5 November 1928, Page 10

THE NGAIO ROAD

BEING WIDENED AND SEALED

One of the worst-served suburbs of Wellington, as far as roads are concerned, is Ngaio. Unfortunately, perhaps, Ngaio lands, although situated within three miles of the centre of the city, arc on an elevation of anything from 400 to 500 feet above it. This means a fairly sharp grade of traffic to negotiate iu a limited distance, and’ the only means of doing so is by way of the Kaiwarra Gorge. There are two roads whicli lead to Ngaio by way of the gorge. One is part of tiie old Wellington-Porirua military road, made by the Imperial regiments in the days when it was expedient to provide ways for Her Majesty’s forces to move about the district in defence of the city. This road leads through the village of Kaiwarra, and just beyond it branches to the rightly sharply up the hill, and pursues a steep winding course to the high lands above. The road now more generally used follows the course of the Kaiwarra Stream for a long distance up the gorge, and though extremely sinuous and narrow in places has an easier grade for all manner of traffic, and is-used daily by hundreds of motor-cars and the buses which serve Ngaio district and Khandallah. That, however, does not make it a good road. It has some very nasty bends indeed, and it is the easing of these on which unemployed labour has been engaged for some weeks past, chipping off too obtrusive corners, and packing the earth up on the other side of the road. A good deal of this kind of work has beeu done with beneficial effect. When this work is complete the council intends to seal the whole of the road through to Khandallah, so that there will be a good running surface for motor traffic within a few weijks. Sealing is to be commenced this week in the city, and it may be possible .to do the Ngaio road before the Christmas holidays.