WESTERN HUTT ROAD
WORK TO BE UNDERTAKEN
AN ADDITIONAL OUTLET
The decision of the Government to proceed with the widening of the Westorn Hutt Road was announced today by the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. J. Bitehener). Mr. Bitchener stated that a commencement would be mado by tho Public AVorks Department next month with widening and reconstructing to firstclass main highway standard tho existing five and a half miles of the Western Hutt Road between the northern boundary of the borough of Lower, Hutt and the junction of Hay wardsPahautanui road, and with the construction to a similar standard of the additional one and a half miles of new road, including a bridge across tho Hutt River, to connect with the WellingtonWairarapa main highway at Silverstream, provided all arrangements for acquisition of tho necessary land have been comploted by the Hutt County Council. Tho road, when completed to Silverstream, would provide an additional outlet from Wellington city 'and the Lower Hutt Valley to the upper portions of the valley and theWairarapa. On race days and other'occasions when traffic was intensive on the main road ; on the eastern side of the river, it could ho diverted to the Western Hutt Eoad at Silverstream, and thus congestion would bo avoided in the main street of Lower Hutt borough. Moreover, tho new road would be available when the ■ main highway through the Taita Gorge was blocked with slips, or was unusable owing to erosion caused by floods in the Hutt River. The new road, and especially the bridge, would facilitate) vehicular traffic between the eastern and western districts of the valley, as well as prpvide a shorter connection via tlio Haywards-Pahautanui road from the central portion of the valley to the main highway along the west coast of the North Island. In addition, the road would give improved and direct access to tho beautiful and popular scenic reserve and picnic ground north of Haywards. .Tho Minister stated that ■ public tenders would be called for the bridge work, as it would not be suitable for unemployed labour. RELIEF OF UNEMPLOYMENT. Tho improvements to" tho existing road between the borough boundary : and Haywards, and the construction of the one and a half miles of entirely new road from the latter point to Silver-: stream would, it was expected, provide employment for approximately sbO men per week. Mr. Bitchener stated further that, although employment would be rationed in accordance with, the No. 5 Scheme of the Unemployment Board, which had agreed to find a largo portion of the cost of. the whole undertaking, it was proposed to do as much as possible on tho task-work system, as. the men would then have an incentive to give of their best, especially, as they wouia rcaliso that they wcro employed on a useful and important project, and were not merely; filling': in time' on a work of no: real merit.:: :.. .: .' ~■.': - •■■l
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19331219.2.141
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 147, 19 December 1933, Page 13
Word Count
484WESTERN HUTT ROAD Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 147, 19 December 1933, Page 13
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