GORGE STOCK ROUTE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 89, 13 March 1935, Page 4

GORGE STOCK ROUTE

PAHIATUA COUNTY’S VIEWS. Following the receipt of a letter from the Public Works Department, the Pahiatua County Council at its last meeting considered the proposal to have a new stock route made over the top of the range instead of through the Mnnawatu Gorge. After a lengthy discussion it was decided to interview settlers along the proposed route and secure their views on the matter. The chairman (Cr A. W. Bisset) ask ed what would be the experience of the settlers on the top ol the range when they tried to get through a big mob of cattle P Cr Horne was of the opinion that those settlersw anted the new road : hut it would mean a lot of extra main tenanee on the Pahiatua section. Cr F. V. Bryant: It is taking the rights of tlio farmers away and giving them all to the motorists. Cr Hudgins: We have got no say ill the case if the other two counties choose to put the road up to the top. Cr Nelson thought that a good number of ratepayers would prefer an alternative route as their stock were knocked about in the Gorge. It was not entirely a benefit for the motorists in this instance, although he agreed that the tendency was in that direction. He suggested that the settlers be interviewed and if agreeable then the proposal was a sound one. The council eventually decided to interview the settlers ana reply to the letter that the proposal, if carried out, would bring a lot of extra maintenance costs to the Pahiatua county.