“STILL BATTLING”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20527, 10 April 1941, Page 3

“STILL BATTLING”

MAH IA ACCESS ROAD “NOT GIVEN UP HOPE” COUNCIL'S EFFORTS (Special to the Herald.) WAIROA, this day. Advice approving of the engineering proposals for the construction of the Wainui-Barlletts section of the Mahia Peninsula access road, but stating that monetary authority would not be applied for until legalisation had been effected, was received from the district engineer. Public Works Department, Napier, at the monthly meeting of the Wairoa County Council yesterday. The chief surveyor. Napier, also wrote returning the approved plans of road deviations in the Wainui Junction-Bartletts section of the Mahia access road. The chairman, Mr. A. T. Carroll, reported that he interviewed the Minister of Public Works and the Engi-neer-in-Chief of the Public Works Department in connection with the access road to the Mahia Peninsula during their recent visit to Wairoa. He explained the unhappy plight of the settlers on the peninsula as a result of having no access, and told the Minister that the council wanted authority to do the work. The council wanted more than sympathy.

"We have not given up hope," added the chairman. "We are still battling.”

Referring to the Opoutama-Mahia section of the Mahia Peninsula access road, the engineer. Mr. R. W. Hawthorne, said that in his last report to Ihe council the plans for the proposed route had been forwarded to the Public Works Department for approval but were returned for further engineering work and amendments. Some little delay, he said, had been caused in getting the work done owing to the assistant engineer having had to spend a week’s refresher course in

camp at Palmerston North ancl through being away a further week through illness. The plans were now in the hands of the department awaiting approval. Mr. E. M. Mowat had been instructed to carry out the balance of the survey work to define the road boundary on this route.