WHIROKINO HIGHWAY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 218, 15 August 1931, Page 6

WHIROKINO HIGHWAY.

SUGESTION FOR RAISING. (From Our Own. Correspondent.) FOXTOX, Aug. 15. A very representative and well attended meeting was held last night, convened by the Foxton Chamber .of Commerce, to discuss the matter of taking some steps to have the Whirokino portion of the FoxtonLevin highway made safe from inundation by floods. Amongst tlioso present were Messrs J. Linklater, M.P., M. L. Perreau (Mayor of Foxton), W. E Barber (chairman of the Manawatu County Council), N. H. Mackie (representing the Manawatu Automobile Associati-n), W. H. Brown and F. W. Furby (Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce), J. Chrystall (chairman of the Aloutoa Drainage Board). The Wanganui Chamber of Commerce and Atuoniobile Association, Levin Chamber of Commerce and Mr W. H. Field, M.P., wrote offering their co-operation and support in any stops taken to obviate the trouble.

The president of tho Foxton Chamber of Commerce (Mr J. K. Hornblow) outlined tho object of tho meeting and said that the periodical flooding of tho highway was detrimental to Foxton and the travelling public. The protection of tho highway was a national work as the Whirokino stretch was the only missing link in the WellingtonAuckland No. 1 Main Highway. The work had been held up for a long time, chiefly through the proposals of the ManawatuOroua River Board, but the timo had arrived when some action was necessary. The Manawatu County Council had surveyed a deviation along higher ground which would givo safe acess to the Government Drain and had power to acquire such land. All that remained was the raising of the 57 chains o£ road between the drain and the bridge. During the past three years the Manawatu County Council had spent the following sums on maintaining this short piece of highway: 1929, £210; 1930, £283; 1931, £570. Such expenditure could not go on indefinitely and some concerted and immediate action was necessary'. Mr W. E. Barber (chairman of tk* (Manawatu County Council) said he had just returned from Wellington where ha had waited on the chairman of tho Main. Highways Board in regard to the Whirokino portion of tho highway. Li his opinion the greatest benefit would come from enlarging the existing main drain and erecting extra floodgates at Duck Creek. He had conferred with the chairman of tho Main Highways Board on the matter of engaging unemployed on widening the drain and tho board would give the matter consideration on the 20th inst. To raise the road would be a stupendous undertaking and could not bo carried out by the Manawatu County Council.

Mr J. Linklator, M.P., said ho had waited,, on the Minister for Labour in regard to having tho river cut commenced at Rush Flat as an unemployment measure and also to see if the necessary machinery could be procured to enable the work to be put under way. He considered the raising of the road in question w'ould form a good opening for absorbing unemployment on profitable and useful works.

Mr Mackie suggested that the co-opera-tion of the North Island Motor Union be sought in having tho road raised. Tho matter certainly of national importance. Mr W. H. Brown expressed tho Palmerston North Chamber’s willingness to cooperate in the matter of having the link completed. This expression was endorsed by Mr F. W. Furby. After further discussion it was decided, on the motion of Messrs Hornblow and Perreau, to request tho Main Highways Board to undertake the raising of the Whirokino portion of the Foxton-Levin main highway as an unemployment work. It was further decided to support the Moutoa Drainage Board in its application tor the widoning of tho Main Drain and construction of floodgates at Duck Creek.