REGIONAL BODY TOLD BETTER TIMES AHEAD

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23217, 31 March 1950, Page 4

REGIONAL BODY TOLD BETTER TIMES AHEAD

ROAD IMPROVEMENT

“Our district has rightly been classed the Cinderella so far as roads are concerned, but it is gratifying to know that better times appear ahead with larger programmes of" works,” stated a report from the transport and communications committee at the annual meeting of the Gisborne-East Coast Regional Planning Council yesterday. The convener of the committee is Mr. C. H Cooper. The report stated that the committee had been very assiduous in its duties as to the future requirements of the district in regard to transport and communications and the report acknowledged the assistance of the resident engineer to the Ministry of Works, Gisborne.

■‘Representations to the appropriate authorities have been made by" this council for improved road communication north and south and bv other organisations and for a long time a sense nf frustration was. felt that progress and improvement in this connection was not rapid enough,” the report stated

Decided Improvement Lately

‘Latterly, however, a decided imnrovement has been noticeable in the Works Department programmes and schedules of works and while yet a great deal remains to be planned and carried out it must always be remembered the difficulties under which the Works Department is working witn shortages of steel, cement, plant and skilled staff and absence of suitable metal supplies. “There is only a certain amount of money available for the whole Dominion for roads and bridges and provided this district gets its fair share, little complaint can be lodged, and this committee is ever on the watch to see that we do get our fair share. Regarding more major works such as the northern railway connection and stabilised runways at the aerodrome, the council realises that in view of the nosition of the national finances as recently outlined by the Prime Minister, Mr. S. G. Holland, expenditure of large sums of public money cannot be exnected for some time and probably then only if reasonable finance returns can bo obtained. Your council, however. docs not intend such matters as these to be dropped completely. They will be kept steadily in view and appropriate action taken at a suitable time ”