ROAD BETWEEN WAIROA AND TURANGA.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XX, Issue 3906, 24 April 1877, Page 2

ROAD BETWEEN WAIROA AND TURANGA.

Sir, — I have not the slightest intention of criticising the acts of our worthy county councillors ; in fact, from my heart, I '_;i',"o LliCiii every credit for their good intentions of economy. But we all must live, the public travel, and the fact remains that their Public Works policy, with regard to road and bridges, at this end of the bay, are, in my humble opinion, in too close proximity with the old "penny Aviso and pound foolish"

system. I consequently make the following remarks on a portion of the main trunk road, coastwise, between Wairoa and Turanga : — No officer (either of the Government or our county) connected with public roads having made his appearance np here for some time to get little damages repaired every here and there, things seems to have gone to decay altogether. The road itself between Opoutama and Nuhaka is one mass of puddle and bog-holes ; the culverts in every direction just holey enough to break a leg orjneck of either man or beast if oft* their guard, or in the dark ; and to crown all, the only valuable public structure — the bridge across Waimaunu, or better known as Sturm's creek — stands on its last leg, it back broken ; in short, it begins to show signs of gross neglect and an early departure by the next flood no doubt ; and if gone like the Nuhaka ferry boat, perhaps it will be some time before it is replaced, and in the meantime an inconvenience to both travellers and residents. However, there is yet a remedy for the bridge to be made useful to the public for years to come, if the old but true familiar saying, "A stitch in time saves nine" is put at once in practice ; it will save the councillors a great deal of expense in future, and the travelling public many a ducking. — I am, &c, The Man that Paddles His Own Canoe. Mahia, April 22, 1877.