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Rapahoe Highway Improvements May Be Commenced Soon

According to a report submitted to last evening’s meeting of the council of the West Coast branch of the Automobile Association, Canterbury, by the secretary (Mr-W. F. Harley), it is likeiy that major improvements to the highway from Runanga to Rapahoe will be commenced shortly. Mr Harley stated that he had interviewed . the Public Works Department engineers on the matter, who had informed him that the department was very short of staff, while there were several major works to be undertaken before the sealing of the road could be carried out. It had to be straightened by a big deviation at Falkenback’s corner and a bridge had to be reconstructed. It was expected, however, that the steel for the bridge would arrive shortly and the work would probably be started at an early date if labour could be obtained. A letter was received from the Resident Public Works Engineer, Mr E. F. Evans, on the same subject. He stated that it was hoped to commence the preparatory work this season and to carry out some of the sealing next season. In the absence of the chairman, Mr P. C. Heaphy, through indisposition, Mr T. Blackie presided at the meeting, and there were also present Messrs’ M. J. Fogarty, R. P. Holmes, A. Walters, W. Vallance, E. McDonnell, G. Sutherland, and C. Ross (Hokitika), J. Chapman (patrol officer), and Harley.

Lake Kanieri Road

Further correspondence was received from the Westland County Council relative to the association’s suggestions for improvements to the Hans Bay road at Lake Kanieri. The council said that its engineer had estimated that it would cost in the vicinity of £l5O to construct turnouts and' as the council’s rate revenue from the area was only £l3, it could do little more than maintenance. It suggested that the association should consider making application to the Tourist Department for a grant to carry out the work. Mr Harley said the members would have to consider whether it was the association’s job or the County Council’s to make the application for a grant.

“It is definitely the County Council’s job,” commented Mr Walters. Mr Harley said that the Grey County Council had constructed three very good turn-outs on the Mitchells road for £5O and he could not see how the ones suggested at Hans Bay would cost £l5O. Mr Fogarty said that the road was used a great deal by tourists and he did not see any reason why the association should not make an application for a grant. He moved that the Tourist Department be approached for a grant for improvements to the road. Mr Walters: Are we not going around the mulberry bush? Aftes all, it is the County Council which framed the estimate, and we are not going to do the work. After some further discussion Mr Ross seconded Mr Fogarty’s motion to apply for a grant, and it vzas carried.

Replying to the association’s representations to have the deviation over Parapet Rock, near Broken river, on the Otira-Christchurch road completed, the district engineer of the Public Works Department, Christchurch, advised that the department was fully conscious of the state of the road at this point and began the work without any prompting. Unfortunately, ’the bulldozer engaged broke down and had to be taken away. The transport of such machines was costly and it was not felt that the job justified the taking up of another machine specially for it. However, when a bulldozer was available the work would be completed. Karoro Reconstruction

Mr E. F. Evans, as the Highways Board representative, replied to the association’s representations for . repairs to a section of the main highway south of Karoro. He said that the work would be put in hand at’ an early date, but as a section of the road had to be reconstructed, portion would not be resealed until next season.

Mr Harley sliid it was pleasing to see that McGrath’s corner, on the Kumara-Dillmanstown road, had been greatly improved. The next thing was that the sealing should be continued from Kumara to Dillmanstown, as the road carried a lot of through traffic to Otira. Mr Harley gave a summary of the report of the recent meeting of the South Island Motor Union, .pointing out that the union was in accord with the announcement by the Minister of Transport that, as from May 1 next, warrants of fitness should again be obtained at six-monthly intervals, on account of the number of road accidents.

Emergency Sales of Petrol Mr Sutherland said he had had a. complaint from a Hokitika garage that the provisions for the emergency sale of petrol were being abused. A man just came along and made some excuse for wanting petrol and there was no way of checking up on his story. It had been suggested that there should be a charge of 2s for opening for emergency calls.

Some discussion took place on the question of petrol resellers’ hours and Mr Vallance expressed the opinion that they should not be asked to work 80 hours a week while other people worked 40. The chairman pointed out that the South Island Motor Union had already taken up the matter of a more efficient system and on Mr Sutherland’s motion it was decided to support the union’s representations.

Magnetic Truck’s Visit

On Mr Walters’s suggestion it was decided to ask the Highways Board when the magnetic truck, for picking up metal objects on the roads, was likely to visit the West Coast again. Mr Sutherland said he had had a complaint from Ruatapu regarding gorse obscuring the view of the railway at Youngman’s crossing, south of the Hokitika bridge, and it was decided to investigate the matter. A suggestion by Mr Ross that Coal Creek hill and Butcher’s hill, on the Lake Kanieri road, were suitable places for warning signs, in view of unexpected bends, was referred to the . patrol officer. •

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GEST19470416.2.10

Bibliographic details

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 April 1947, Page 3

Word Count
992

Rapahoe Highway Improvements May Be Commenced Soon Greymouth Evening Star, 16 April 1947, Page 3

Rapahoe Highway Improvements May Be Commenced Soon Greymouth Evening Star, 16 April 1947, Page 3