SOUTH OUTLET

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11450, 26 February 1931, Page 7

SOUTH OUTLET

CIS BOR N E-NAPIER IIOAD

RESTORATION PROGRESS

Service drivers oil the CisborjloNapier run report that excellent progress is' being made with the restoration work on the road, south of \\ aiioa and that the Westslmre rente is now open, thus obviating the detour previously necessary around .Napier inner harbor. The Mairoa-Na-pier trip now occupies about livo hours. _ . ... Mr H. if... Hill, a D.uco Service driver, who has just returned front a trip to the Devil’s .Elbow, made, some interesting comments on the route yesterday. He states that the luriroa' slip! just south of IVairoa, now presents lio difficulty, and as long as the surface ' is', dry. there is little trouble as far as Moliaku. There the old road til rough the township has to ho taken, as the usual road has slipped into a gully. Paddocks have . to. be crossed, hi seme places to make the access to tho Waikari viaduct. Th c approach at the Napier end is extremely dimcut, there being no clearance at all between the wheels of the cars and thc edges of the embankment. Little danger is attached to going across this approach in thc daylight and in ■fine weather, although every care must be exercised. At night or on a slippery surface, this portion would be a very tricky spot indeed to negotiate. Further paddocks have to be crossed to reach the Matahoura viaduct, hut little difficulty should be experienced in dry weather. ’ The road at lh 0 Devil’s Elbow, Mr Hill 'said, was clear, on Monday, but was closed again so that blasting could be undertaken 1 to clear the road of rocks and dangerous .'portions above the 'in'ghway that were likely' to slip down ni the'event of rain. From Lake Tutira. tlie road dyer Darky’s Spur was. hi comparatively good ’ order, although 'it was very steep and narrow. The road through Tongoio. was fairly .l’ougiit. Put was easily negotiable. The .A\ estsliororoad' 1 hid : beep, opened a few, days ago, the Tange crevices having. bcOn filled in by.:,debris from the shattered; (owns. - , . - Fortunately- little ram. lmd been experienced to' damage.;the roads, lbe rain oh Monday Aviis . fairly heavy. and cars were field up .lit A\ airoa lor about three hours that lnornmg. Hie llea.v.y wind . t;hat followed the brief. Jowiip6.hr,' : however, soon ..dried up tlie rpiids.. and , tho journey was resumed without any difficulty. ’ Few of the. bridges o'n tlie route; had been extcusivelv-.damaged v ,but numbers of. approaches had slipped awav. ' These jiacL borii fixed. ,up suf-. ficientlv to- allow-.traffic to pass, however,'.and, in >soino cases, planks bad hcPii used.for .cars to'cross Over. . ■ Some damage was clone. to the overhead- bridge at Hie 'Matahoura. railway:, Station, and .it. .was, ,s6_ bhdly’ cracked that it 'was not possible -'.to. usp; it at present. In The. meantime, the traffic Was going through "the station'. ' ’ • . . ■;• -.1 , Qood progress . ,was : ...peing jnade by' tlio Riiblic.AVorks. 'Denarfcirieiit m clearing .the .road, lie! added, .and'on the Devi!’s■;Elbow alone 1 about fid •; or bO men Avei’c; engaged.