COMPLAINT OF ROAD CONDITIONS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 244, 13 July 1939, Page 3

COMPLAINT OF ROAD CONDITIONS

Whenuapai School Closed

Dominion Special Service

AUCKLAND, July 12.

Nine farms are said to be without mail service and the district school has been closed temporarily as the result of road conditions at Whenuapal. With repairs, as well as reconstruction, delayed by adverse weather, some sections of the roadway, more particularly on the recently-gazetted main highway between Brigham’s Creek and the new military aerodrome, have been churned into deep seas of mud, and powerful tractors are sometimes required to assist vehicles to negotiate the worst patches. The decision to close the school was made when the sole teacher, who travels daily from Auckland to Whenuapal, considered the road was practically impassable. She explained the difficult conditions to officials of the Auckland Education Board, and it was decided to request the Public Works Department to improve temporarily the worst sections.

When the road permits the. passage of the teacher's car the school will be reopened. Residents on Riverlea Road are said to occupy the most difficult position. One of these farmers said the mail contractor had decided to cut out his visits to nine of the homes along this route, and, as result, they were required to collect their mall and light supplies from Brigham's Creek. “AA 7 e realize that there is bound to be an improvement in conditions before long, but settlers feel bitter about the whole business,” he stated, when it was pointed out that ultimately a tar-sealed highway would be provided. “No cou.ntrv road, built to carry local traffic, would stand up to the stream of heavy lorries, each with a limit load, that has been moving to and from the aerodrome. 'The question of adequate access should have been decided 'before work at the aerodrome was commenced."