HIGHWAYS COUNCIL

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4806, 5 July 1939, Page 2

HIGHWAYS COUNCIL

REVIEW OF SUBSIDISED ROADS. RECOMMENDATIONS TO BOARD. The annual meeting of the No. 6 District Highways Council was held in the Borough Council Chambers, Taumarunui, on Friday last, at 2 p.m. Those present were: Mr. L. May, District Engineer (chairman), Messrs. T. H. Crocker (Kaitieke County), F. Romayne (Ohura County), Lee (Waitomo County), H. R. Street (Taumarunui Council), Colonel Matson (Kawhia County), and the following officials: Mr. Fraser (county engineer, Kawhia), Mr. R. H. Browne (county engineer, Waitomo), Mr. W. W. Stanton (county engineer, Kaitieke); Mr. H. Seerup (county engineer, Ohura), Mr. S. H. Andrew (county clerk, Taumarunui), Mr. G. B. Hooker, assistant engineer, Public Works Department (secretary).

Annual Report.

The annual report, as submitted, was adopted.

Annual Review of |4ighways.

With regard to the annual review of highways, the following roads were recommended to the Main Highways Board for declaration as main highways :

(1) Te Kuiti-Waimiha Road via Kopaki and Puketutu in lieu of the present Kopaki highway, 274 miles. (2) Revoking 4j> miles of the Ahoroa-Tapairu highway and declaring the Otewa-Rangitoto road a highway.

(3) Taumarunui-Ongarue main highway to Te Kuiti, National Park, S.H., through Ongarue, 1£ miles. (4) Okupata-Pekanui (Kawhia County), 60 chains . (5) Otunui South Road, 3£ miles. (6) National Park State Highway to Raurimu Station, 30 chains.

Review of Main Highways,

The following resolution was passed (proposed by Colonel Matson and seconded by Mr. Lee): “That this Council having taken note of the circular from the Main Highways Board intimating its inability to accept proposals for additional highways, and further, of the fact that this repeats a similar intimation the year before, draws the- attention of the Board to the considerable development and increase of traffic that is continually going on and contends that the necessary implication of such development is an increase in the highway mileage. A repeated decision that the past mileage of highways is final and unalterable appears to this council inconsistent with the progress that is understood to be aimed at by Parliament; -as also is the increase of revenue from taxation that is a corollary of increased traffic. Figures for each county concerned in support of the above will be forwarded for the consideration of the Main Highways Board as soon as possible. Main Highways Estimates, 193940: The estimates as drafted totalling £243,165 were appi’gved.

Executive Council: The chairman and Messrs. Street and Crocker were appointed members of the executive. Owhango Overbridge (north of Owhango township) : It was resolved that this Council make a special recommendation to the Highways Board regarding the construction of a new overbridge to eliminate a very dangerous alignment in view of the high standard of construction on either side of the existing bridge making it extremely dangerous. The resolution was proposed by Mr. Crocker and seconded by Mr. Romayne.

Okahukura Subway: It was resolved that this Council stress the urgency of commencing work on the construction of the subway to eliminate a dangerous corner at the combined road and railway bridge.