HIGHWAYS IN THE MANAWATU

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 175, 25 June 1932, Page 7

HIGHWAYS IN THE MANAWATU

STATEMENT BY COUNTY CHAIRMAN.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) FOXTON, Juno 25. Speaking at a meeting last evening of the Foxton Chamber of Commerce, Mr W. E. Barber (chairman of the Manawatu County Council, and member of the No. 9 district council of tho Main Highways Board) said that the Manawatu County Council had not forgotten tho Whirokino Highway and was not likely to. As he had previously stated when deputations had waited on the council asking that something bo done to improvo this highway, tho first move was the widening of the floodgates at the Alain Drain to allow a quicker release for the flood waters. After a two years fight this work had now been completed and tho outlet to tho Alain Drain had been widened. This would now provide a very much bigger discharge capacity for the -water of tho Aloutoa, an area of some 10,000 acres, which previously had to discharge its flood water through a 40ft. outlet. which was a long job when tho rise and fall of the tides was taken into consideration, and probable westerly gales. Thanks were due to the Aloutoa Drainage Board in this connection as this body had beon mainly responsible in furthering the position by getting the Alain Highways Board to assist with the work. It was now proposed to put cuts through in the vicinity of Whirokino, said Air Barber, and Foxton should strain every effort to push this work on as it would be the means of assisting in bringing thousands of acres of land in and near Foxton into greater productivity and, in addition, as soon as that work was started, the Manawatu County Council would endeavour to have the deviation road around the riverbank put through, which would be tho means of completely overcoming the flooding problem on the Whirokino highway. The Himatangi-Rangiotu highway, however said Air Barber, would have to be completed before any other work could be undertaken. As all knew, the good roads radiated from the centres of population. That was the main factor as far as the Main Highways Board was concerned. Howthe No 1 highway was now completed right up to the Whirokino bridge and the next move was onwards but owing to the stress of times Air Barber did not think anything much would be done during the coming year.