ROAD TO PAEROA

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 54, Issue 32627, 28 September 1945, Page 5

ROAD TO PAEROA

SPRINGDALE INTERESTED OPEN UP MORE LAND SETTLERS URGE COMPLETION A meeting of considerable imterest to many people in the Thames Valley was held in Springdale recently, convened by the combined iSpringdale and Elstow branches of the Farmers’ Union for the purpose of discussing the formation of the Paeroa-Tahuna road. The chairman, Mr J. M. Stewart, ■and Crs . D. Johnson and W- C. Kennedy, of the Piako County Council, attended, and with them was Mi’ B. H. Horner, county engineer. There was a good l atendance of members of both branches and other ratepayers, the meeting being presided: over by .Mr J. Singer. In putting the subject before the meeting several members of both branches spoke. It was stressed that although there was a certain local demand for the road, the major need was a national one. The local demand was , for a shortened route to the beaches —a point worth noting as providing better recreation hnd added inducement to young people to stay on the land—shorter haulage from Tirohia and Tahuna metal quarries for some parts of the county, better access to the Pokeno-Paeroa railway when the line was completed, and immediate access to some 3000 to 4000 acres of unimproved farm lands. National Aspect In stating the national aspect of the case it was urged that the completion of this road should be the first step in the big task of bringing in the 30/100 odd acres of what is at present useless swamp lying between it and' the Hauraki Plains.

All speakers were seized with the importance of a national scheme embracing the stop-banking, draining, roading and developing of this area. The proposed road would run along the highest'side of this swamp and that area would, be the first to be brought in; lateral roads would later run off from there into the reclaimed area.

An important point affecting the advancement of this land was the unsatisfactory tenure offered by the Crown. The land throughout the unformed portion of this road was either Crown or native land, and the former was offered for settlement on a five year lease with a month’s notice of termination during that term. With this type of country, even after proper drainage, it was a matter of several years before it became at all productive, so it was obvious there was no inducement for anyone to attempt any worthwhile development. County members were urged to take this l up with the Government. Through Road Desirable Giving his opinion as Waitoa riding member, Or Johnson agreed that a through road would be very desirable but insisted that he could not agree to his riding funds being used to help with the cost of formation. As soon as materials and men were available all the roads now in use, including those tar-sealed, would have to be renovated, as well as a number of miles of tar-seal put down. This would tax the finances to the full, and he could not agree to being loaded with this extra cost. The county chairman: asked Mr Horner to give the meeting his estimate for the formation of the road. This was given in two sections. The length from the metalled toad' at Tirohia bridge to the end of Ngutumanga road had already been set down at £6OOO. 'From Ngutumanga road to the metalled road at Fisk’s corner (.Sipringdale end) the estimate, including a one-way bridge across the

Waitba river, was £5009. These estimates were to be taken as a guide only and' were based on the assumption that the work would be done by bulldozer and carryall scoops. Big Sum Involved Mr Stewart stated that he was quite in favour of the road being completed but held out little hope of better financial terms from the Government than a £3 to £1 subsidy. This would involve the county in a sum of approximately £3OOO, and of this he expected that the Tahuna riding would be expected to find about half as the road bounded the Tahuna riding all the way. He feared that his ratepayers would never sanction this expenditure. Cr Kennedy gave a brief history of his endeavours over some nine years to persuade the Minister of Public Worke, the Hon. R. iSemple, to put the road through'. The Minister was

asking for worthwhile work to put into a programme of post-war development and Cr Kennedy had interviewed him on every occasion he had visited Wellington urging that this was a really worthwhile job. In order to strengthen his hand with the 'Minister he had asked certain ratepayers to take around a petition, but apparently there had been some hesitation about signing it.

After discussion a unanimous resolution was carried asking the county council to arrange for representatives of the Lands Board and the Public Works, with their engineers, to meet the council and ratepayers on the road, and to invite the support of the local Members of Parliament and also the Thames Valley Drainage Board. The county chairman undertook to make these arrangements.