DANGER TO MOTORISTS

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 92, 15 October 1927, Page 10

DANGER TO MOTORISTS

FENCE ERECTED IN STREET

DIRECT ACTION BY MAORI

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to "The Evening Post.")

OTAKI, This Day. Mr. Inia Hoani, who claims a portion of the streets near the Otaki railway, has erected a substantial fence six feet from the footpath.on the main road and nine feet from the on the road leading to the railway station. In consequence motorists will have to be careful in negotiating the turning, the roadway being barely wide enough for a car.

Mr. Inia Hoana claims that he is entitled to the land fenced in. He says that his boundary goes 18ft from the edge of the path and of the fence. He, however, only claims the nine feet. The road has always been regarded as too narrow, and for years past the local body has thought of improving it. It is evidently the long delay that has stirred the Native owner to action. The narrowed road is now dangerous for all traffic to and from tKe station, while the main Wellington-Palmerston road will also be dangerous at this place. The matter has been reported to the Mayor and the chairman of the Works Committee (Councillor M'Gill), who held a conference with the borough solicitor (Mr. Atmore). Subsequently they conferred with Mr. Hoani, who stoutly contended that he was within his rights in fencing the road, and stated that the council had on many occasions had opportunities to take the land. The council had, he considered, ignored his requests, and he had erected the fence to bring the matter to a head. However, pending a meeting of the council, he consented to the removal of three posts which were considered to be extremely dangerous. He stated that if there was further unnecessary delay he would erect the posts again.