COSTLY PROPOSAL

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 16 June 1926, Page 5

COSTLY PROPOSAL

MT. EQMONT ROAD. DAWSON FALLS TO TAHURANGI. £5200 A MILE. The excessive construction, costs-, which, it is estimated, would amount to approximately £5200 a mile, in addition to heavy maintenance charges and the doubtful value, from a scenic point of view, of the suggested mountain highway to- link the Dawson Falls hostel on the southern slopes of Mt. Egmont with tlie North Egmont house, ■are amongst the discouraging factors referred to in a report prepared by the Public Works Department, from which it would appear that the ambitious project cannot be undertaken. The total estimated cost of building a motor road 14 feet wide, with a nine feet width of metal eight inches in depth, between the two houses is £45,468. The length, on what isi regarded as the only route practicable, is eight and three-quarter miles, though on an air line the distance separating the two points is five miles less. On the only route which appeal's possible the road l would not, in the opinion of the authorities, afford, the attractions contemplated by the original promoters of the scheme, and the huge outlay, together with the burden entailed on the resources of the park in costly maintenance, would not be justified. The country traversed by the proposed road, states the- report, is, exceedingly difficult, and is intersected by numerous deep gorges, making bridging a particularly heavy item, while the grading in and out of the gorges increases the distance as indicated. It was very difficult to obtain any practicable route, as it was found that raising the elevatiou of the road to head the majority of the gorges threw the line on tlie running shingle slopes, over which it would 'he. impossible to maintain a roadway for wheeled traffic. As the present foot, track is principally on such formation, any suggestion that it should be followed had to be abandoned. .

In the preliminary survey it was attempted to plan a road: down the steep ridge fi-om Humphries’s Castle to the North Egmont. lions© at altitudes of 5000 feet and 3140 feet respectively. From the former a magnificent view' of inland Taranaki would ‘have been available, hut, apart from the almost impossible grade, entailing a drop- of 2000 feet in less .than a mile and :a.half, the nature of the ridge with its loose shingle made this impracticable. . A survey wa.s then made from Warwick Castle, a somewhat Enver point about half a- mile neajrer Dawson Falls, hut similar difficulties were encountered. It had been hoped to cross Jackson’s Lookout and the Stratford plateau, but. these proposals also were found impossible. In the final survey th© panoramic attractions were negligible, nearly the whole route, being in dense bush, with opportunities at only two points for views. of any extent. Located in the bush, this road-lin© dropped gradually f rom the level of the Dawson Falls Hostel,'a't an altitude of 3100 feet, to the M-akotawa River, which was crossed at an altitude of 2400 ft. this being the only place wilier© a suitable, crossing of the gorge could be obtained.. This gorge, and also the Manganui, were found to be almost impassable, expensive bridging being unavoidable. Between Dawson Falls and the Stratford track the negotiation of the Waingongoro Gorge, with its- almost vertical sides, was also fraught with difficulty. The .steep walls could not be graded and a suspension bridge with a span of 140 feet would be required, This would he the longest, though in all l 30 bridges would have to be constructed with a total length of 1130 feet, the expenditure (£17,500) accounting for more than a third of the total cost of the road. Several of the structures would have to b© 60ft in length, while many would require spans of 25 to' 40 feet, though for some of the smaller streams no provision for bridging was made, and these would have to be forded. . On a road of the length" mentioned, passing places were essential, and were provided for, but the whole length was characterised by sharp bends, deep cuttings find high bridges. The difficulties of the work would be augmented bv numerous culverts and fillings, w'hile cuttings in the walls of gorges' and the sides of creeks would present serious obstructions, both in the building and maintenance of the road. , J Y ho latter charges would be particularly heavy, as the road would be subject to sups, windfalls from trees, damage by. irunning water, etc. The deep cuttings would retain snowdrift for long periods. Tendering their passage doubtful for the greater part of the year, while it was doubtful whether tlie revenue which might reasonably be expected from traffic would be sufficient to secure the interest charges on the initial; outlay. Such are the obstacles, the consideration iof which have caused the Public Works authorities to decide that the adoption of the scheme cannot be recommended.

“A CHEAP JOB.” MOTORIST’S VIEW OF THEi COST. SUGGESTED A.A. ACTION. The matter of the Pub’ic Works finding was referred by a Stratford Post reporter to several Stratford members of the South Taranaki Automobile Association, and they do not agree that a good view would not be obtainable from the route suggested. It is understood that the association is endeavouring! to arrange for a conference with the Puh’ic Works engineer (Mr T. M. Balkan cl the surveyor, so that the wliole matter can be thoroughly discussed. This, if is hoped, will take place in the very near future. The Rev. J. L. A.Kay 11, president of the Stratford branch of the South Taranaki Automobile Association, thought that at £45,000 the job would be a cheap one. He pointed out that if, as was originady suggested, prison labour were employed, the amount would he very greatly reduced, because the great part of the cost of labour would, merely be a debit against one department by another. He considered that the Prisons Department would bs quite competent to undertake' th© technieal part of the work, provided there was competent oversight. Roadmaking into diSKculf and to some degree inaccessible country was acknowledged to be particularly suitable and profitable for prisoners. The interest on the total estimate would be less than £3OOO a year. Another point was that plant was already available — there would be no need to purchase new machinery—and the chief cost, he thought, would be the actual money paid for materials used. In regard to revenue, it must he considered just how far the toad would act as an attraction to tourists coming to the Dominion, and who would spend

money throughout the whole country. The money spent 'by tourists would be distributed over the whole Dominion, and the actual mountain receipts would not show the full benefit to the country as a whole. Several overseas visitors to whom the matter had been referred had expressed the opinion that if the thoroughfare _weie constructed it would he the finest mountain road in the world.

“Personally,” said Mr Kayll “I think that the person is verging onpessimism who does not think the increase in tourist expenditure would not more than cover the cost. It is imperative that more money should he spent in developing New l Zealand’s tourist resortjs land from the standpoint of potential revenue, it is a scandal that so little i§ being done.”