NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY With which is incorporated the NORTHERN MAIL DAILY. MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1919. OUR MAIN ROADS.

Northern Advocate, 22 December 1919, Page 2

NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY With which is incorporated the NORTHERN MAIL DAILY.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1919. OUR MAIN ROADS.

Registered for transmission through

the post as a newspaper.

The Whangarei County Council on Friday decided to proceed with its scheme of main road maintenance and not wait for the result of the commission to be asked for concerning the main through road from Auckland to Kaitaia. This step is not in opposition to the other countries,but it is taken with a view to avoiding delay in providing improved through communication. It will be recalled that at a meeting held some time ago the council agreed to declare as a main road, to be maintained out of the general fund, that portion of the Groat Nortb Road lying between Hukereuui and the boundary of the county of Ota Jm tea in the Waipu Gorge. When the matter later on came before the northern counties in conference a division of opinion arose and it was resolved to further postpone action until after the conference at Maungaturoto. The majority of the delegates there expressed themselves as desirous of having a permanent road (concrete or otherwise) through the centre of the peninsula and as they could not agree amongst them selves as to the best route or material to be used it was decided to ask that a Royal Commission be set up to go into such matters. In the meantime Whangarei County Council has awaiting use various grants for the improvement of the road from Hukerenui to Waipu. Obviously it would bo uuwisw to allow these grants to lapse and wait for the ideal of the conference to materialise. It must necessarily take years before the commission can make a finding, the roatt-surveyed and the work constructed. Whangarei County Council cannot, therefore, afford to wait that length of time for the improvement of its main roads. The stretch between Hukerenui and Waipu is most important and unless grants are lifted it is unreasonable to expect Government to offer any further assistance. By pushing an energetic policy within a few years, thus conferring a there is no reason wny this road should not be metalled and bridges replaced great benefit upon the whole of the Xorth. The county road will be required whether the main central highH'uv is constructed or not.