HIGHWAY TO OHURA

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 4694, 16 May 1935, Page 5

HIGHWAY TO OHURA

DEVIATION NOT WANTED. Strong opposition to any proposal to divert the Ohura main highway between Douglas and Te Wera was expressed by the Whangamomo'na County Council on Tuesday. The Council strongly favoured the early tunnelling of the Stratmore saddle, and urged that if the tunnel could not be entertained at present it would like to see a small sum expended in the direction of eliminating some of the worst corners on this particular saddle.

The discussion arose upon receipt of a communication from the Strath-more-Te Wera branch of the Farmers’ Union, which read as follows: “In the matter of the Strathmore tunnel and the suggestion that the main highway be diverted at Douglas to pass through Huiroa and Kiore, this meeting, representing a very wide area, strongly protests against any such deviation as unfair to the vast area of settlement beyond Strathmore, Makahu and part of Puniwhakau districts. Such a deviation would mean that these settlers would have three miles farther to go to reach the main highway, and it would necessitate a main highway parallel to the railway, with several undesirable crossings.' It would, moreover, be a road through swamp country which would take years to consolidate and be costly to maintain, as well as of greater mileage than the present route with a tunnel completed through the Strathmore saddle.” i