ROAD WITH CLAIMS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 60, 12 March 1937, Page 11

ROAD WITH CLAIMS

EAST COAST HIGHWAY

A SHORTENING LINK

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) WHAKATANE, This Day.

The importance of completing a link on the East Coast highway, by deviating the Wainui road by way of Oho'pe Beach and thus avoid the Tunu-' nui hill and shorten the distance between Whakatane and Opotiki by 12 miles, besides providing all-weather access for settlers and a fine scenic route, was stressed to the Minister of Lands by representatives of the Whakatane Borough Council, the Whakatane County Council, Chamber of Commerce, and thirty settlers who met the Ministerial party at Wainui this morning. The deputation was introduced by the Mayor of Whakatane, Mr. W. Sullivan, and the county chairman, Mr. W. Reid, who stated that the local bodies were prepared to find £2000 towards the cost of the deviation.

The Minister replied that he was impressed with, the importance of the *work both from the point of view of the highway and access road for the settlers who had suffered the hardship of backblock conditions for so many years. He promised to confer on the matter with the Minister of Public Works and support the claims when the Public Works Estimates were being prepared.

In reference to the reservation of 140 acres of pohutukawa bush at Ohope the Minister stated that the matter was iv train and the title was being taken from the Native Department.

The party left for Tauranga and will return on Monday to make a wider inspection of the district. ■